Derek is a founding partner at Carlson Caspers, a leading IP and litigation law firm in Minneapolis, MN. Derek’s 25+ years of experience includes extensive litigation and patent law challenges in high-stakes patent and intellectual property cases in courts throughout the United States, including federal courts, district courts, and at the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Derek has briefed and successfully argued a prolific number of appeals at the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and served as lead counsel in numerous Inter Partes Reviews and other contested proceedings before the USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

Earlier in his career, Derek worked in the area of patent prosecution and clerked for the Honorable Giles S. Rich of the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. He has taught Intellectual Property Moot Court at the University of Minnesota and patent litigation at Mitchell Hamline School of Law.

He holds a JD with highest honors from George Washington University, and a BS in Physics from Iowa State University.