My Why

What powers my practice

With a technical foundation in physics and computer science, and experience as a Naval officer in nuclear engineering, I was drawn to law by a desire to apply that fluency to protect innovation through strategic IP frameworks. My background lets me translate complex technologies into clear legal strategies that help clients own and benefit from what they create.

The greatest fulfillment comes from delivering solutions that turn innovation into actionable next steps. Drawing on more than a decade as in-house counsel, I give clients strategic, budget-conscious guidance, and I support colleagues through firm-wide training and national leadership in IP licensing as Chair of the American Bar Association’s IP Transactions & Licensing Committee.

I meet every challenge with integrity, curiosity, and a focus not just on what the law allows, but on what makes the best long-term business sense for the client’s goals.

Overview

Duncan helps technology companies protect their core innovation and data so they can grow with less risk and more confidence. For over 20 years, his work has centered on the practical legal needs of growing businesses—intellectual property, data privacy, open-source, and technology law—delivering clear, actionable advice that secures clients' most valuable assets and keeps deals moving.

Duncan understands the pressure to ship products, manage budgets, and minimize risk because he has been on the client's side of the table. Before returning to private practice, he spent 12 years in-house as senior IP counsel at a major digital media company. That experience shaped his approach: strategic, budget-conscious guidance built around real business goals, which are not always the same as the ideal legal outcome.

As Chair of the ABA's IP Transactions & Licensing Committee, Duncan brings national leadership in licensing to every client engagement.

Experience

Solutions in action

How Duncan partners with technology businesses:

  • Secures patent, copyright, and trademark rights to build strong, defensible portfolios.
  • Navigates SaaS, cloud, AI, open-source, and joint development agreements.
  • Advises the quantum industry on IP protection and licensing.
  • Manages data privacy and security risks in commercial licensing and software deals.
  • Guides government contractors and subcontractors on software licensing and data rights for federally funded work.

Duncan's technical foundation is in physics, computer science, and naval nuclear engineering. He came to the law to use that background to protect innovation with practical frameworks—training that lets him translate complex technology into plain advice and workable contracts.

A registered U.S. patent attorney and certified data privacy professional (CIPP/US), Duncan focuses on solutions that turn innovation into next steps. He looks beyond what the law allows to what makes long-term business sense, and meets every challenge with integrity, curiosity, and respect for the client's constraints.

If your business is building, buying, licensing, or commercializing technology, Duncan can help you move forward with a practical legal strategy that protects what matters most without slowing the business down.

Credentials

  • Johns Hopkins University, Master of Science (M.S.), Computer Science, 2015
  • George Washington University Law School, Juris Doctor (J.D.), 2004
  • University of Florida, Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Physics, 1994, cum laude

  • Colorado
  • District of Columbia
  • Texas
  • Virginia
  • United States Patent and Trademark Office
  • United States District Court, Eastern District of Virginia

Engagement

  • Chair of IP Licensing & Transactions Committee, American Bar Association
  • Member, Privacy and Data Security, American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA)
  • Member, Standards & Open-Source Committee, AIPLA
  • Member, International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP)

Insights