In Memoriam Donald Dunner

In Memoriam

Donald R. Dunner: A Leader in Patent Legal Practice and A Champion for IP Social Justice

On October 16, 2019, the legal profession and the IP social justice community lost one of their pillars when Donald R. Dunner, name partner at Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP, passed away at the age of 88. Donald R. Dunner enjoyed a distinguished legal career and leaves an indelible imprint on contemporary patent law and practice.

One of the most accomplished and influential patent lawyers of his generation, Don Dunner helped to shape the contours of contemporary patent legal practice, not only through his successful representation of a wide array of clients, but also in supporting the progressive evolution of patent law. Under his auspices in 2003, the Finnegan law firm began its collaboration with IIPSJ to establish the nation’s first IP and Social Justice Continuing Legal Program, developed and implemented by Finnegan attorneys Tom Irving and Esther Lim and hosted by the Howard University School of Law. Now in its seventeenth year, the IIPSJ CLE program continues to educate IP attorneys and policy makers from around the nation as to the social justice obligations and opportunities presented by IP protection.

Don Dunner moderating the judicial panel during the 2018 CLE. Left to right: Thomas G. Saunders (WilmerHale), Hon. Susan G. Braden Retired Chief Judge (United States Court of Federal Claims), Hon. David P. Shaw (United States International Trade Commission), Hon. Kara F. Stoll (United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit), Donald R. Dunner (Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP)

One of the program’s most highly regarded features is the Judicial Roundtable Panel, wherein Don Dunner would moderate an annual open conversation with sitting members of the federal judiciary and explore cutting edge developments in the field of IP law, including important issues which implicate the law’s social justice resonance in the total political economy. Don would often use this opportunity to ask the judges to share guidance for students in the audience seeking clerkships. It was Don Dunner’s stature and reputation in the patent bar that attracted leading jurists to share their insights and perspectives and thereby make the Judicial Roundtable Panel and the IP and Social Justice CLE program a unique and highly respected professional education experience.

While Don Dunner’s practice impacted major issues in patent law, his professional efforts went beyond “top down” approaches to improving the field. A thoughtful and earnest mentor, Don Dunner guided the professional development of many junior attorneys, and along with many of his colleagues at the Finnegan law firm, he was personally engaged in supporting initiatives to enhance racial and gender diversity within the IP bar. Through these efforts many attorneys gained exposure to IP legal practice and the opportunity to participate in IP-oriented internship programs and full-time practice at Finnegan and other IP law firms, and to practice IP law in various corporate in-house counsel and government legal departments.

Donald R. Dunner leaves an impressive legacy in the field of IP legal practice. From his work in various governmental commissions  and studies to evaluate and improve the patent system, to his service as president of the American Intellectual Property Law Association, Chair of the American Bar Association’s IP Section, and as a recipient of the AIPLA Board of Director's Excellence Award, Don Dunner contributed much to the profession he cherished. He will be greatly missed by all of us who had the privilege to work with him, even as we continue to appreciate his enduring impact on IP legal doctrine, professional education, and the social justice aspirations of IP protection.


Arts and Entertainment Advocacy Clinic

Services offered: The Arts & Entertainment Advocacy Clinic allows students to develop substantive legal knowledge in copyright and related areas of law as well as practical skills in research, writing, and advocacy by counseling clients and preparing legal and policy documents on behalf of artists and creators.

Information Packet for the Legal Clinic - Practical Preparation of Patent Applications.

 


Glushko Samuelson Intellectual Property Law Clinic

Services offered: The full range of intellectual property specialties — copyright, patent, trademark, and beyond — in a variety of settings — including client counseling, rights acquisition, transactional lawyering and negotiation, litigation, and administrative and legislative advocacy.

Eligibility criteria: Individual creators and users of intellectual property, small businesses and communities of rights holders and consumers, not for profit institutions and associations, and other entities.

Regions covered: All

Fees charged: Free, however clients generally must pay for other costs of legal representation, such as governmental filing fees and litigation-related costs.


Detkin Intellectual Property and Technology Legal Clinic

Services offered: The IPC provides pro bono transactional patent, copyright, trademark and trade secret services to individuals, non-profit and for-profit clients in technology and the arts.


Entrepreneurship Legal Services

Services offered: Start-up company IP issues, such as trademark applications, provisional patent applications and patent research.

Eligibility criteria: Must be a start-up company without significant revenue.

Regions covered: All

Fees charged: $25.00 per hour for student time


Cyberlaw Clinic

Services offered: The Clinic maintains an active practice in intellectual property advising, including risk assessment, and has drafted a wide range of transactional documents that relate to IP rights (including license agreements and other documents concerning transfers of intellectual property).


Public Patent Foundation

Services offered: Reexaminations of patents. Pre-litigation counseling, representation and negotiation. Representing defendants in patent litigation. Patent-related only. (No trademark or copyright services.) No patent applications or prosecution.

Eligibility criteria: Economically disadvantaged businesses (including sole proprietors, partnerships, corporations or other entities) accused of infringing dubious patents.

Regions covered: Nationwide in U.S.A.

Fees charged: Clients are expected to pay costs, but normally not attorney fees.


Public Interest Intellectual Property Advisors, Inc. (PIIPA)

Services offered: PIIPA is the global non-profit resource for developing countries and public interest organizations seeking expertise in intellectual property matters to promote health, agriculture, biodiversity, science, culture, and the environment.

Eligibility criteria: Assists governments of developing countries, non-profit organizations in developing countries, and non-profit organizations in developed countries that help developing countries.

Regions covered: All developing countries

Fees charged: None


Patent, Trademark & Copyright Section

Services offered: Amicus briefs

Contact: Ralph P. Albrecht, Chair
(202) 216-8166

Eligibility criteria: No formal criteria

Regions covered: Nationwide in U.S.A.

Fees charged: None


Patent Pro Bono Florida

Services offered: A statewide program of the Arts & Business Council of Miami and Dade Legal Aid to provide under-resourced inventors with pro bono patent attorneys.