Dorothy Du LeRay

Working closely with clients to provide practical advice, with an eye towards preparing for expected and unexpected contingencies

Dorothy LeRay focuses her practice on due diligence investigations, freedom-to-operate analyses, contentious patent office proceedings, pre-litigation strategy, and complex patent prosecution strategies.  With a background in pharmaceutical litigation and experience as a judicial clerk at the Federal Circuit, Dorothy advises clients with an eye towards preparing for contingencies in the implementation of IP. 

Dorothy’s experience spans a wide range of technical areas in the life sciences space, including gene editing, immuno-oncology, diagnostic and detection methods, injection vehicles, medical devices, and small molecule therapeutics for cancer, HIV/AIDS, and asthma. 

Dorothy has a significant background representing innovator companies seeking to protect or challenge patents as part of licensing negotiations, in district court, and before the USPTO.  Her experience spans all phases of litigation, from pre-litigation counseling to fact and expert discovery, summary judgment motions, and trial.  She has represented clients at trial in Hatch-Waxman litigations, IPRs, and in arbitration.  She has a particular passion for legal writing and working with technical experts to develop a deep understanding of the cutting-edge technologies at stake. 

Prior to joining McNeill Baur PLLC, Dorothy practiced patent litigation at Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP and Sidley Austin LLP.  She also clerked for the Honorable Kathleen M. O’Malley at the Federal Circuit from 2015 to 2016. 

Select Publications

“Federal Circuit Strikes Down Diagnostic Patent in Latest § 101 Decision,” IP Litigator, 25(2): 18-19, 2019 (coauthor).

“Federal Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Declaratory-Judgment Action Based Under Rule Against Piecemeal Adjudication,” IP Strategist, 28(8), 2018 (coauthor).

“Novartis AG v. Union of India: 'Evergreening,' TRIPs, and 'Enhanced Efficacy' Under Section 3(d),” J. Intell. Prop. L., 21(2): 224-263, 2014.

“Rethinking Risks: Should Socioeconomic and Ethical Considerations Be Incorporated Into the Regulation of Genetically Modified Crops?” Harv. J.L. & Tech., 26(1): 376-401, 2012.