Overview

David's Intellectual Property practice primarily focuses on pharmaceuticals, petroleum chemistry, polymer chemistry and biotechnology. He has assisted clients in developing world-wide patent strategies, drafted and procured patents in the U.S. and coordinated patent procurement worldwide. He has also counseled clients with respect to non-infringement, invalidity and freedom to operate issues; negotiated licenses related to intellectual property; coordinated Inter Partes Review; European oppositions; assisted with patent litigation; and conducted due diligence studies and IP audits.

Before becoming a lawyer, David was a process development chemist with MTM Fine Chemicals and an Adjunct Professor of Chemistry at Camden County Community College. David is a member of the Biotech and Chemical Committee of the IP Section of the North Carolina State Bar Association and a long-standing member of the American Chemical Society. As a scientist, he is named as an inventor on 10 U.S. patents and he also won an award from Innocentive for his improved synthesis of butane tetracarboxylic acid.

Community & Professional

  • North Carolina Bar Association
    • Intellectual Property Section - Co-chair, Diversity Committee; Biotech and Chemical Committee
  • American Intellectual Property Law Association
  • American Chemical Society

Outside Maynard Nexsen

In addition to a full-time law practice, I am also a woodworker.  I like to build and design custom furniture, do artistic wood turning, and occasionally dabble in wood carving.  I’ve also been known to sculpt, paint, and occasionally do metal work.  Although I’m not as strong as I used to be, I still train fairly hard, with a combination of CrossFit, powerlifting, and martial arts.  I have earned a second degree black belt in To Shin Do ninjutsu and a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and occasionally train Silat as well. 

This photo is David with Steven Hayes, the founder of To Shin Do ninjutsu, on the day he earned his second degree black belt (Nidan) in Ninjutsu.

Experience

  • Inventor of nine U.S. patents as a scientist

Recognitions

  • Awarded, Intellectual Asset Management magazine's IAM Patent 1000: The World's Leading Patent Practitioners, 2016-2018
  • Winner, InnoCentive's Challenges, 2002
    • Improved process of synthesis of butane tetracarboxylic acid

Media

Quoted

Videos/Podcasts

Admissions

  • State Bar: North Carolina, Georgia (inactive)
  • Supreme Court of Georgia (inactive)
  • U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
  • U.S. Court of Appeals: Federal Circuit

Languages

  • Spanish 
Quote Icon

Albert Einstein famously said: If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn’t be called research, would it?

As a patent attorney, I help scientists protect the inventions that result from their research, so this is my favorite quote.

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