M. David Weingarten Ph.D.

M. David Weingarten, Ph.D., Managing Partner of Finnegan's Atlanta office, is a nationally recognized intellectual property attorney who helps pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and chemical companies protect, defend, and maximize the value of their most critical innovations and technologies. He represents clients in high-stakes patent litigation, proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), and patent prosecution matters. Drawing on experience as a scientist, pharmaceutical industry veteran, and patent lawyer, David brings a unique depth of technical understanding to complex matters involving pharmaceuticals, biologics, formulations, chemical processes, and other life sciences technologies.

David advises clients throughout the life cycle of their intellectual property, from securing and strengthening patent protection to enforcing patent rights and defending against infringement claims. His practice includes patent litigation, PTAB proceedings, patent prosecution, portfolio development, freedom-to-operate analyses, due diligence, and strategic IP counseling. Clients turn to David for practical, strategic advice on their most significant intellectual property matters and value his ability to quickly grasp complex technologies and develop effective solutions.

Few patent attorneys combine David's depth of pharmaceutical industry experience with his patent litigation, PTAB, and prosecution experience. Before entering private practice, he spent more than a decade leading research, development, manufacturing, and technology transfer initiatives in the pharmaceutical industry. He worked across multiple therapeutic areas and played key roles in drug discovery, process development, regulatory submissions, and strategic due diligence efforts. This firsthand experience enables him to work seamlessly with scientists, inventors, executives, and in-house counsel while providing practical insight into sophisticated patent and technology issues.

David is widely recognized as one of the nation's leading life sciences patent attorneys. LMG Life Sciences named him Patent Strategy Attorney of the Year, South and has also recognized him for excellence in Patent Prosecution and Patent Strategy & Management. He has been recognized as a Patent Star (National and Georgia) by Managing Intellectual Property's IP STARS guide and is consistently recommended by IAM Patent 1000 for his patent litigation expertise, strategic judgment, and technical knowledge. David is also recognized by Best Lawyers in Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice and Litigation – Patent and was named a Client Service All-Star by BTI Consulting Group based on direct client feedback.

David earned his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Emory University and later served as an NIH postdoctoral fellow at Columbia University. He subsequently earned his J.D. from Emory University School of Law, where he was a Robert W. Woodruff Fellow and received numerous academic honors.

David advises clients ranging from emerging biotechnology companies to global pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and chemical industry leaders, helping them protect breakthrough technologies, navigate complex patent disputes, and maximize the value of their intellectual property assets.