First-Quarter NPE Filings Reach Highest Point Since Q1 2015
April 16, 2025
NPEs added 608 defendants to patent litigation campaigns in Q1 2025—more than in any first quarter since Q1 2015, when such plaintiffs added just under 1,000 defendants. NPE litigation in the first quarter of 2025 was 47% higher than in Q1 2024 (when NPEs added 414 defendants) and 24% greater than in Q4 2024, also exceeding the trailing Q1 average for 2022-2024 by 44%.
Operating company plaintiffs added 268 defendants this past quarter, a more modest increase compared to Q1 2024 (12%). Litigation by operating companies was down by 11% compared to the fourth quarter but was up by 7% compared to the trailing Q1 2022-2024 average.
| Defendants Added | Change Compared to: | ||||
| Q1 2025 | Q1 2024 | Q1 2022-2024 Average | Q4 2024 | ||
| NPE | 608 | 47% | 44% | 24% | |
| Operating Company | 268 | 12% | 7% | -11% | |
| Total | 876 | 34% | 30% | 10% | |
Overall, patent plaintiffs added 876 defendants in the first quarter of 2025, or 34% more than in Q1 2024 and 10% more than Q4 2024, also beating the trailing average by 30%. This is the highest number of overall filings since Q1 2015, boosted by the NPE activity noted above.
See RPX’s first-quarter review for more on the key trends that shaped patent litigation in Q1.
