David Justmann

Dave brings a distinctive blend of engineering expertise and legal acumen to his practice, grounded in over two decades of hands-on experience in both fields. Before transitioning to law, Dave spent 20 years in engineering roles—including design, manufacturing, and process development. During his 20 years as a patent attorney, he has worked across diverse industries such as medical devices, oil and gas, and consumer products.

His legal career began in 2005 with a Fortune 100 company, focusing on patent licensing and searching. He later served as Chief IP Counsel for a medical device company and provided patent support for a broad range of technologies during his tenure at Smiths Group plc, a UK diversified engineering business. His technical portfolio encompasses medical devices, oil refinery components, natural gas piping, vacuum cleaner hoses, electrical connectors, disposable diapers, nonwoven material processes, adhesive application techniques, and sporting goods.

An inventor himself, Dave holds 17 issued U.S. patents and has additional patent applications pending. His firsthand experience as an inventor informs his understanding and advocacy for clients navigating complex intellectual property landscapes.

Dave earned his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1983 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2004. He is admitted to practice in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

A respected leader in the IP community, Dave has served as president of the Minnesota Chief Patent Counsel Roundtable since 2014 and is a former executive committee member of the Association of Corporate Patent Counsel. His commitment to service is reflected in his role as a founding member of the U.S. Patent Pro Bono Program and as former co-chair of the International Inventors Assistance Program Task Force for the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

Dave’s contributions have been recognized with the Minnesota Lawyer 2021 In-House Counsel Award and the inaugural Smiths Group Community Service Award in 2016.