Daniel Mitchell
Associate – Duane Morris

 

Description of field of expertise

Daniel Mitchell practices in the area of intellectual property law. Daniel has significant experience in U.S. and foreign patent prosecution matters. He has represented clients in a vast range of technology areas including e-commerce, software algorithms, semiconductors, cloud computing computer and memory architectures, quantum computing, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), data encryption, wireless communication, power generation systems for aerospace applications, transport refrigeration systems, mechanical measurement and actuating devices, and cargo transport systems. Daniel has also drafted patent applications, performed patent searches, and provided opinions on various patent-related matters.

At Duane Morris LLP, Daniel is continuing his patent prosecution practice and is now expanding his practice to include patent litigation to vigorously defend the patent rights of clients. Prior to joining Duane Morris LLP, Daniel was a patent associate at an IP boutique firm in Atlanta for a number of years and a patent examiner for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria, Virginia for nearly a decade. It was at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that Daniel was introduced to the fundamentals of patent examination procedure and gained a wealth of experience and knowledge on the inner workings of the patent system.

While working full-time as a patent examiner, Daniel returned to Atlanta and earned his J.D. from Georgia State University College of Law, where he focused on intellectual property law. He received the CALI Award for Excellence in Sports Law. Prior to law school, Daniel received his Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

 

What advice would you offer to new attorneys interested in your field?

Find a mentor and later in your career remember to be the type of mentor you always wanted. Mentorship is instrumental in a young attorney’s career because it can avoid many unnecessary pitfalls that can tarnish your reputation. Young attorneys may not realize that your reputation is your brand.

Remembering to be a mentor can facilitate the pipeline of qualified candidates to advance in the field of IP, especially underrepresented diverse candidates. Many IP attorneys have obtained undergraduate degrees in engineering, graduated law school, and passed both the state bar and patent bar. As a whole, there aren’t many candidates that have this particular pedigree and there are even fewer minority candidates in this field. When seeking a mentee, we shouldn’t limit ourselves to only young attorneys but seek students in high school and college.

As my final word, find a place where you feel supported and go be great!

 

Final thoughts…

A common theme often reiterated among black and diverse attorneys is that we have a duty to give back and help others. Personally, I know I did not make it this far on my own, and I would not be here without my support system. With that said, “Challenged accepted!”