Emily Niles ’14 J.D. is a partner and litigator at Robins Kaplan LLP where she represents clients in high-stakes intellectual property (IP), technology and business disputes.
Over the past several years, Niles helped lead a trial team in a patent infringement dispute related to pre-lit artificial Christmas trees that in 2024 achieved a $42.4 million jury verdict that increased to a $71.4 million judgment on behalf of their client, Taiwan-based Willis Electric Co., Ltd. It is believed to be the largest patent jury verdict in U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota history.
Law360 named Niles one of its Rising Stars of 2024. In 2023, she was recognized by Twin Cities Business as a Notable Woman in Law and as an Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer.
Niles currently serves on the board of the Infinity Project and the University of St. Thomas School of Law Alumni Board. Throughout her career, she has prioritized giving back to the community, providing pro bono legal services to underserved populations in the Twin Cities, most recently as a volunteer attorney at transgender name change clinics offered by Robins Kaplan and OutFront Minnesota.
As a law student, Niles was the publications editor for the St. Thomas Law Journal and participated in IP moot court competitions. She holds a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and psychology from Regis University in Denver, Colorado.
We recently caught up with Niles to learn about her career journey after law school and her work as a litigator.
What originally sparked your interest in IP litigation? Did you consider other careers?
A confluence of experiences and interests led me to IP litigation. During college, I majored in neuroscience and psychology. This gave me opportunities to study science, technology and medicine. I was fascinated by how the brain works, how people think, and what drives their behaviors. But after graduating and working in a neuropsychology clinic, I grew frustrated with not being able to give patients solutions for their cognitive challenges. Instead, I was drawn to a career where I could help actively solve problems. Justice and the law were always topics of interest too, and I had the benefit of seeing family members working as lawyers. IP litigation was an appealing opportunity to meld all those interests.
What keeps you passionate about your work?
The variety and challenge of IP keeps me excited about my work. I handle a broad range of disputes covering patents, technology licenses, trade secrets, copyrights, trademarks and other business disputes where valuable information or technology is at issue. Each case presents an opportunity to learn about a technology or industry. And there are always interesting case histories, personalities and questions to uncover.
Why is it important for you to be active in the community and invest in organizations and causes?
I mentioned earlier that wanting to help people solve problems steered me to the law. But giving back to my community has been a part of my life going back to Girl Scouts. The legal system is challenging for anyone to navigate. Investing my time and resources into these causes and pro bono work is a way of showing my gratitude for the opportunities that I have received and passing those blessings on.
What’s something you learned at St. Thomas that you carry with you even today as a professional?
St. Thomas encourages its students to debate, test ideas and grow. My moot court experiences stand out the most in this regard. Public speaking was not something that I was comfortable with going into law school. It was intimidating. I decided to try out for moot court anyway. My team won the Minnesota Intellectual Property Law Association (MIPLA) cup that year. And more importantly, that new experience gave me the motivation, confidence and inspiration to step outside my comfort zone.
Who last inspired you professionally and why?
Recently, I’ve been tuning into “Meet the Press” regularly. The host, Kristen Welker, is a persistent, tough and poised interviewer. And she is a mom to two little ones. I take notice of successful women juggling responsibilities. It motivates me to be a present and fun mom and to also take the next step professionally.
How do you manage your stress and prioritize wellness?
This is a balancing act as a lawyer and a mom to a preschooler. I do not have a strict routine because every day is different. Instead, I focus on energy management – putting my energy into critical tasks and what matters most throughout the day, especially being present at home with my son. As much as possible, I try to prioritize sleep, exercise and good food. You’ll see me out walking in the skyways downtown Minneapolis or to and from the park. And I workout with a trainer once a week. On busy days and when I’m at trial, I wind down with a meditation called Power Sleep.
