David Berdan is the General Counsel. He is the principal legal advisor to the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. He supervises the provision of legal advice and litigation on intellectual property and administrative matters for the agency. Mr. Berdan is responsible for providing legal advice on patent, trademark, and copyright matters as well as administrative issues such as rulemaking, government contracts, personnel, and budgetary matters. He also coordinates with the Department of Justice, Department of Commerce, and other agencies in developing the U.S. position on major intellectual property cases before the Supreme Court and Courts of Appeals.

Prior to working at the USPTO, Mr. Berdan served in a variety of important legal positions, including as Patent Counsel at Corning, Inc., as Vice President and Intellectual Property Counsel at The Coleman Company, as Chief Counsel Intellectual Property at INVISTA, as Vice President Legal and Deputy General Counsel at International Game Technology, and, most recently, as General Counsel and Compliance Officer of Gaming Arts. Mr. Berdan also spent two years as an engineer and seven years in private law practice.

Mr. Berdan is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in engineering and co-captained the Army football team as a defensive back. He is a combat veteran of Operation Desert Storm and is the recipient of numerous military awards, including a Bronze Star. Mr. Berdan has a Juris Doctor from Drake University Law School, where he was a founding member and President of the Drake Intellectual Property Law Society.

Visit: Office of the General Counsel for Patent and Trademark Office