Patrick D. Duplessis
Partner
Patrick maintains a diverse IP practice, including patent drafting and prosecution, patent and trademark portfolio management, strategic IP counseling, and litigation. Patrick serves as lead counsel for domestic and international clients of all sizes, from large corporations to venture-backed startups and individuals.
Patrick has drafted and prosecuted countless patent applications in a wide range of technical fields, including medical devices, aerospace systems, manufacturing tools, analog and digital circuitry, signal processing, software and computer engineering, cybersecurity, and consumer products. He brings a litigation-informed perspective to his patent practice and excels at conveying complex ideas in a simple manner understandable to all.
Patrick works with clients to develop and implement comprehensive IP strategies that set the stage for capital funding, commercialization, and long-term growth. Patrick conducts freedom-to-operate studies, counsels on product design, and drafts opinions that help his clients assess and manage risks associated with launching new products. He also drafts IP-related agreements and provides day-to-day counseling regarding protection of trademarks, copyright, trade secrets, and other proprietary information.
Patrick also advocates for clients in litigation and other contested matters related to patents, trademarks, copyrights, false advertising, contracts, privacy, and free speech. Patrick has appeared in U.S. district and appellate courts, and in post-grant proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
Prior to joining Verrill, Patrick practiced at an IP boutique firm and in the IP group of a large full-service firm. Before graduating law school, he was a law clerk at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research in La Jolla, California, and he held undergraduate research positions at Massachusetts General Hospital and Northwestern University.
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