Contact Information

T 608.283.2272
F 608.283.2275
One South Pinckney Street
Suite 700
Madison, Wisconsin 53703

Legal Assistant

Pauline Clevenger

T    608.257.3501 x27535

Education

  • University of Wisconsin Law School
    ,
    Juris Doctor (J.D.)
    ,
    1989
    ,
    Editor-In-Chief, Wisconsin Law Review; American Jurisprudence Award for Legal Writing; Dean's List; William G. Hagenah Award)
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison
    ,
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    ,
    1987
  • Carleton College, Northfield, MN
    ,
    Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
    ,
    1982

Bar Admissions

  • California, 1990
  • Wisconsin, 1989

Court Admissions

  • U.S. Supreme Court, 2005
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit, 1997
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of California, 2001
  • U.S. District Court, District of Maryland, 2001
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California, 1990
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin, 1995
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, 1990
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, 2000
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of California, 1996
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan, 2008
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin, 1989
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J. Donald Best

Don Best is a trial lawyer and a member of the firm’s Intellectual Property Litigation Practice Group. Mr. Best has many years of experience handling complex, high profile IP cases for clients in a wide variety of industry sectors. He also has significant experience in cases involving fraud, government contracts, unfair competition and antitrust. Mr. Best has extensive trial, arbitration and mediation experience, including matters involving patents, trade secrets, trademarks and copyrights. His practice includes providing IP counseling and litigation services to clients in highly technical fields involving biotechnology, mechanical arts, electronics, pharmaceuticals, computer products, chemical processing, telecommunications, medical devices and a wide variety of commercial products. He has litigated major cases in Wisconsin, California, Illinois, Texas, New York, Michigan and several other jurisdictions. Don also frequently counsels clients on IP matters in Europe and Asia. 

Prior Work Experience

Prior to joining Michael Best, Mr. Best practiced for five years with a large law firm in California and was a prosecutor in the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office.

Professional Activities

  • Member, State Bar of California
  • Member, State Bar of Wisconsin
  • Member, American Bar Association, Intellectual Property Litigation Section
  • Member, American Intellectual Property Law Association
  • Member, Federal Circuit Bar Association

Honors and Recognitions

Mr. Best has been acknowledged each year since 2006 as one of The Best Lawyers in America, published by Woodward/White, Inc. He has been named a “Wisconsin Super Lawyer,” in the area of Intellectual Property Litigation since 2006 by Super Lawyers Magazine, a Law and Politics publication. Mr. Best has also been recognized since 2008 by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in the area of Intellectual Property Law.