Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s venue-limiting decision in TC Heartland v. Kraft Foods Group Brands, it is clear that there is a significant shift in where patent cases are being filed, with many more cases in Delaware, some in Northern and Central District of California, and a growing number of cases filed in Waco, Texas.

But venue changes are not the only challenge law firm IP practices have been facing. According to Kathi Vidal, a veteran IP litigator and managing partner of the Silicon Valley office of Winston & Strawn, several recent Supreme Court decisions have created uncertainty with respect to patent subject matter eligibility—which some argue makes patents too easy to invalidate and discourages innovation. How these issues evolve could have a great effect on innovative companies, and the IP practices that serve their legal needs.