Houston IP lawyer Erik Osterrieder, who is facing a lawsuit filed by his former firm that alleges he “stole” confidential client information and operated his own firm on the side, filed an answer on April 17 in which he called the suit “baseless” and said sanctions are warranted against his former firm.

Osterrieder alleged that the claims of plaintiff Matthews, Lawson, McCutcheon & Joseph “fell apart” after a deposition of Terry McCutcheon, a principal in Matthews Lawson who had filed an affidavit in support of the firm's request for injunctive relief.

He alleged in the answer that one day after the deposition, Matthews Lawson withdrew its claim for temporary injunctive relief and agreed to dissolve a temporary restraining order it had obtained on the basis of McCutcheon's affidavit.