Maria E. Doukas

Partner

Maria Doukas focuses her practice on patent litigation, representing clients in complex disputes before federal district courts, the US International Trade Commission, and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Leveraging her master’s degree in biomedical engineering and prior experience as a patent examiner at the US Patent and Trademark Office, she counsels clients across a diverse range of technologies, including pharmaceuticals, biologics, software, mobile and communications technologies, and mechanical systems. Maria has a substantial background representing innovator pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in Hatch-Waxman and Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act litigation.

Maria focuses her practice on intellectual property litigation. She represents pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and other innovative companies in complex patent litigation and related proceedings. Maria has experience representing brand pharmaceutical companies in Hatch-Waxman (ANDA) and Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act (BPCIA) litigation involving a wide range of patent and regulatory issues. She has experience across all phases of litigation, including pleadings, fact and expert discovery, claim construction, trial preparation, trial, and pretrial and posttrial motions.

Maria also represents clients in post-grant proceedings before the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), including inter partes review and post-grant review proceedings involving life sciences and mechanical arts patents. She has experience across all phases of the proceedings, including developing case strategy, drafting substantive filings, and presenting oral arguments before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).

Maria also represents technology companies in patent disputes in US district courts as well as in proceedings before the US International Trade Commission (ITC). Her experience spans a variety of technologies, including software, mobile and communications technologies, and mechanical systems, and includes managing complex discovery, working with technical experts, and developing case strategy through trial.

Maria regularly writes on developments affecting the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries and has co-authored numerous client alerts and publications, including serving as an author on the firm’s quarterly Blockbuster Biologics Review.

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As Prescribed
YOUR GO-TO SOURCE FOR ANALYSIS OF ISSUES AFFECTING THE PHARMA & BIOTECH SECTORS

  • Serving as counsel for a leading provider of hemophilia products in a patent infringement litigation involving Factor IX/IXa activating antibodies.
  • Serving as counsel in trade secret misappropriation matter involving antibody technology.
  • Served as counsel for Merck KGaA and related entities in an arbitration against NantKwest and Brink Biologics involving NK-92 cell lines where team successfully moved to dismiss related district court action seeking to enjoin the arbitration.
  • Served as counsel for Defendant Nestlé Purina PetCare Company in jury trial. The jury returned a defense verdict where Plaintiff sought $73 million in damages for infringement of a patent directed to sodium bentonite formulations.
  • Served as counsel for Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp. in a two-week jury trial regarding lithium-ion battery technology in the Eastern District of Wisconsin.  The jury returned a verdict entirely in Milwaukee Tool’s favor.
  • Served as counsel for Praxair, Inc. in ANDA litigation in the District of Delaware where the court ruled in Praxair’s favor.
  • Served as counsel for Baxalta in an ITC dispute involving the method of manufacturing recombinant factor VIII (ADVATE), a billion-dollar pharmaceutical product.  The case settled favorably after the ITC ruled in Baxalta’s favor on domestic industry on appeal.
  • Worked on multiple inter partes reviews involving the pharmaceutical arts.
  • Prosecuted numerous patent applications at the USPTO involving medical devices, batteries, chemical formulations, and display devices.
  • In pro bono matters, serving as counsel for a client seeking asylum, as well as serving as counsel related to settlement assistance in prisoners’ rights cases.
  • Northwestern University School of Law, 2013, J.D.
  • Washington University in St. Louis, 2006, B.S., Biomedical Engineering
  • Washington University in St. Louis, 2006, M.S., Biomedical Engineering
  • Illinois
  • US Patent and Trademark Office

Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Ones to Watch, Litigation – Patent, Chicago (2022–2025)

Member, Practice Group of the Year, Intellectual Property, Law360 (2019, 2025)

Member, Litigation Department of the Year–Intellectual Property, The American Lawyer (2019)

Recognized, IP Rising Star – United States, Illinois, Managing Intellectual Property (2018–2025)

Member, National Immigrant Justice Center’s Pro Bono Asylum Attorney Program

Notes and Comments Editor, The Journal of Technology and Intellectual Property