Trump PTO Pick’s Fortress Ties Signal Big Tech Patent Fights

President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the US Patent and Trademark Office is setting off alarm bells for tech companies and their lawyers.

John A. Squires, nominated Tuesday, helped create Fortress Investment Group’s IP funding arm while working in private practice. The asset-management giant last year committed $6.6 billion to litigation finance and another $2.9 billion to intellectual property, it said, pursuing infringement cases against the likes of Apple Inc. and Intel Corp. and making enemies in the process.

“Fortress is like the antichrist of the patent world,” said Joe Matal, a lawyer who defends large tech companies and ...