Dan Tarr

Partner

  • Dan Tarr
  • Phone: +1 215 979 1825

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  • Duane Morris LLP
    30 South 17th Street
    Philadelphia, PA 19103-4196
    USA

Daniel Tarr practices in the area of intellectual property law with a focus on patent procurement and prosecution, enforcement and licensing, and patent litigation. Mr. Tarr has counseled clients in all aspects of domestic and international patent portfolio management and has extensive experience in diverse technical areas, including medical devices, medical imaging devices, global positioning systems, compound artificial intelligence systems (e.g., machine learning, natural language processing), communication systems, semiconductor devices and manufacturing, acoustic systems, guided wave systems, electronics, smart cards, software and business methods, distributed ledgers (i.e., blockchain), and housewares.

Mr. Tarr has experience in patent disputes in federal district courts and before the USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board. His litigation experience includes, among other fields, medical devices, database management and development software, speech recognition technology and optics. Mr. Tarr has experience representing both petitioners and patent owners in proceedings before the USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board, such as inter partes reviews. . He is experienced in patent and prior art analysis, infringement analysis, summary judgment briefing, preparation of infringement/invalidity contentions, expert reports, pre-trial orders, and trial briefs.

Mr. Tarr also assists clients in a variety of technology-related transactional matters, including structuring, negotiating, drafting, implementing and providing legal advice regarding software licensing, software development and consulting agreements, patent and related know-how licenses, technology licenses, non-disclosure agreements, and legal issues related to website terms of use and privacy in the U.S. and Europe. Mr. Tarr has experience in preparing and reviewing smart contracts and other self-executing agreements

Mr. Tarr is a 2012 summa cum laude graduate of University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where he was an editorial board member of the University of Pittsburgh Law Review and elected to the Order of the Coif, and a 2009 graduate of Temple University (B.S., Electrical and Computer Engineering , Eta Kappa Nu Honor Society).

Areas of Practice

  • Intellectual Property
  • Patents

  • Patent Litigation

  • Technology Transactions and Licensing

Representative Matters

  • Nuance Communications, Inc. v. MModal LLC, (D. Del. 2017) – Represented MModal in patent infringement suit concerning speech recognition and transcription technologies.

  • Finjan, Inc. v. SonicWall, Inc., (N.D. Cal. 2017) – Represented SonicWall in patent infringement suit concerning computer security.

  • Arthrodesis Technology LLC v. Wright Medical Technology, Inc., (D.Del. 2021). Represented Wright Medical in a patent infringement suit related to an ankle arthrodesis nail used for ankle fusion. Case was resolved in advance of summary judgment on terms client found favorable.

  • Represented international camera manufacturer in four patent suit in district court and related IPR proceedings involving digital correction of image aberrations in digital cameras.

  • Serves as outside patent counsel for US multinational medical technology corporation preparing and prosecuting patent applications for the company in various technology areas, including foot, ankle, and shoulder implants; provided counsel on various IP issues including conducting patent infringement and invalidity assessments; defended client in various patent infringement suits from both competitor and non-competitor patent holders.

  • Served as outside patent counsel managing a patent portfolio for a U.S. multination retail corporation including preparation and prosecution of patent applications in various technology areas including compound artificial intelligence systems, software and fulfillment technologies, and network technologies and counseling regarding various IP issues related to the portfolio.

  • Represented largest commercial lighting company in the United States in connection with LED and wireless networking patent district court cases and three ITC investigations, which were resolved through voluntary dismissals or license agreements advantageous to client.

  • Defended leading enterprise software company in a five-patent case concerning multidimensional databases and parallel processing technology, filed in the Eastern District of Tennessee. Case successfully settled at an early stage.

  • Defended US affiliate of international toy manufacturer and US multinational game studio in a seventeen-patent case concerning RFID-tagged toys and associated game software, including identifying a sub-set of the asserted patents for inter partes review filing and institution. Case was settled after institution of IPR petitions.

  • Represented Polder Housewares and its affiliates in the sale of substantially all of their assets – including intellectual property assets – to a buyer which is majority owned by entities affiliated with Topspin Partners, a suburban New York-based private equity fund.

  • Represented asylum seekers in Immigration Court and in ICE proceedings.

  • Represented artist in preparation and execution of copyright transfer agreement to secure rights to deceased relative’s works for biography.

Admissions

  • Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

Education

  • University of Pittsburgh School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 2012
    - Order of the Coif
    - Board Member, University of Pittsburgh Law Review
  • Temple University, B.S., Electrical and Computer Engineering, 2009

Experience

  • Duane Morris LLP
    - Partner, 2025-present
    - Special Counsel, 2022
    - Associate, 2014-2022
  • Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP
    - Of Counsel, 2022-2025
  • K&L Gates LLP
    - Patent Attorney/Patent Agent, 2011-2014

Professional Activities

  • American Intellectual Property Law Association
  • Philadelphia Bar Association

Honors and Awards

  • Listed in IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Professionals, 2024
  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, "Ones to Watch", 2024-2025
  • Listed in The Legal 500 US, Intellectual property: Patents: Litigation (International Trade Commission), 2023

Civic and Charitable Activities

  • Snider Youth Hockey
    - Friends of Snider Advisory Board Member

  • Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
    - Pennsylvania Patent Pro Bono Program Volunteer
    - Represented Artist in copyright license negotiations and copyright clearance search

  • Georgia Lawyers for the Arts
    - Georgia Patents Volunteer

  • Widener Veteran’s Law Clinic
    - Volunteer

Selected Publications

Selected Speaking Engagements

  • Presenter, “E-Signed, Sealed, Delivered,” Duane Morris Commercial Contracts Checkup Series, Webinar, January 24, 2019

  • Presenter, "Blockchain Business Applications: Dot-Com Bust or Business Boom?" Duane Morris Commercial Contracts Checkup Series, Philadelphia and Webinar, October 11, 2018

  • Presenter, "Spring 2018 Orientation," Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, March 27, 2018

  • Presenter, “Standards-Essential Patents: Licensing and Policy Considerations,” CLE Presentation, May 9, 2017

  • Presenter, “An Overview of Smart Contracts: The Future of Legal or Crypto Daydream”, Internal Presentation, August 18, 2016

  • Presenter, “A Primer on Inter Partes Review,” CLE Presentation, September 11, 2014