Dexter Whitley, Ph.D., a member of Fish & Richardson’s litigation team, works on complex patent cases involving a range of technical areas, with a particular focus on life sciences, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and Hatch-Waxman litigation.
Dexter is experienced in multiple stages of litigation, from pre-case assessment and due diligence investigations through witness preparation and examination. He is a critical team member in District Court litigation and in post-grant matters before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. A former professor of molecular biology, immunology, and physiology at Tougaloo College, Dexter readily understands the complex technologies underlying his clients’ inventions, communicates well with scientists and inventors, and explains scientific concepts in clear and simple terms for corporate leaders, lay judges, and juries.
When presented with a case, Dexter considers the technology at play, the patents involved, and the client’s goals and risk profile. He then helps determine the best approach to tackle the various aspects of the case. Poised and persuasive, Dexter is regarded as a natural litigator. Among his achievements, he is most proud of his successful pro bono representation of an immigration detainee on appeal before the Eleventh Circuit in a sexual assault case against prison guards and the prison facility.
Before attending law school, Dexter earned his Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Mississippi Medical Center. As a graduate student, he conducted research focused on identifying viral genes required for virion assembly. As a post-doctoral scholar at Washington University in St. Louis, Dexter conducted gene therapy studies with the aim of treating endometrial cancer and xerostomia using viral vectors. He likes that practicing law enables him to take innovations to the next level by helping clients preserve the value of their intellectual property and protect it from infringers.
In his free time, Dexter enjoys reading sci-fi novels and going on hikes with his two young children.
