Daniel S. Block is a director in Sterne Kessler’s Electronics Practice Group. Dan’s practice primarily focuses on patent and anti-counterfeiting litigation at the International Trade Commission and in Federal district court. Dan has been integral in designing and implementing anti-counterfeiting measures for numerous international brands, with a focus on cost-neutral enforcement strategies. He has also served as counsel in over 110 post-grant proceedings at the USPTO’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board. His technical expertise covers many areas of computing including: computer graphics, networking communications, web services, complex computer architectures, and storage systems.

Dan’s brand enforcement work includes obtaining judgments against hundreds of defendants selling counterfeit products of major consumer brands. He has obtained judgments totaling over 50 million dollars, and seized or stopped the sales of tens of thousands of counterfeit items over the Internet.

Dan has served as an advisor to associates participating in the PTAB’s Legal Experience and Advancement Program (LEAP), which provides associates with training and development opportunities in PTAB proceedings, including oral argument.

Prior to joining Sterne Kessler, Dan developed interactive voice response (IVR) telephone systems and call routing systems for a variety of domestic and international retail, manufacturing, and governmental clients. Dan’s work primarily focused on designing, developing and integrating IVR systems with backend database systems, telecommunication/call control systems, and CTI systems. Through his work developing such systems, Dan has cultivated in-depth experience dealing with a variety of open source and proprietary PBX platforms. He has programming experience with a multitude of programming languages such as: C, C++, C#, Java, J2EE, Perl, XML, VoiceXML, and several assembly languages. He has also worked extensively with SOAP and XML-RPC and developed for a variety of operating system platforms such as UNIX, Linux, Windows, BSD, and Mac OS X.

Dan is also a contributing author of Patent Office Litigation, Second Edition, published in 2017, the book provides a fresh and comprehensive exploration of patent office litigation proceedings, including how the proceedings interact with other aspects of patent procurement and enforcement, while delivering practical analysis and advice. This second edition of Patent Office Litigation is the follow up to the first version of the book that was published in 2012 by Thomson Reuters Westlaw that focused on the contested proceedings that were introduced under the America Invents Act that year.

Dan received his B.S. in computer science from the Rochester Institute of Technology and his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Minnesota Law School. While in law school, Dan was a managing editor and staff member on the Minnesota Law Review.

  • Volkswagen AG et al v. The Unincorporated Associations Identified in Schedule A (E.D. Va) (represented Volkswagen and Audi in an anti-counterfeiting and trademark suit involving sellers of counterfeit emblems; obtained over 50 million dollars in judgements).
  • Automobili Lamborghini SPA et al v. 251 Racing Corporation d/b/a Lamborghini Latino America USA et al  (E.D. Va) (representing Lamborghini in an anti-counterfeiting and trademark suit involving sellers of counterfeit goods).
  • Volvo Car Corporation et al v. The Unincorporated Associations Identified in Schedule A (E.D. Va) (representing Volvo in an anti-counterfeiting and trademark suit involving sellers of counterfeit emblems).
  • Arista Networks v. Cisco Systems (PTAB) (represented Patent Owner, Cisco Systems, in 17 IPR proceedings in computer networking technology. The PTAB denied institution in 10 of the filed proceedings and found challenged claims in 5 of the instituted proceedings not unpatentable).
  • Symantec Corporation v. Veeam Software Corporation, (N.D. CA) (PTAB) ( represented Defendant Veeam Software Corporation in a bet-the-company patent suit involving eight patents in computer backup and replication technology).
  • Global*Tel Link v. Securus Technologies (N.D. Tex.) (represented Global Tel*Link in a patent suit involving telecommunication technology).
  • Certain Road Construction Machines & Components Thereof, Inv. No. 337-TA-1088  (I.T.C.) (representing respondents in a patent suit relating to road-milling machines and pavers and screeds).
  • Certain Road Milling Machines & Components Thereof, Inv. No. 337-TA-1067 (I.T.C.) (representing complainant in a patent suit relating to road-milling machines).
  • Computing or Graphics Systems, Components Thereof, and Vehicles Containing, Inv. No. 337-TA-984 (I.T.C.)  (represented respondents Audi and Volkswagen in a case involving graphics technology).

  • Best Lawyers, “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America” (2025 – 2024)
  • Patexia, “The 100 Best Performing Attorneys Representing Patent Owners – PTAB” (2023)
  • Patexia, “100 Most Active Attorneys Representing Patent Owners – Inter Partes Review” (2022)
  • Patexia, “100 Most Active Attorneys Representing Petitioners – Inter Partes Review” (2022)
  • Patexia, “100 Best Performing Attorneys Representing Patent Owners – Inter Partes Review (Top 50)” (2022)

  • J.D., University of Minnesota Law School, magna cum laude
  • B.S., Computer Science, Rochester Institute of Technology

  • District of Columbia
  • Pennsylvania
  • United States Patent & Trademark Office

Speaking Engagement

IP Leadership Executive Summit

San Jose, CA, San Jose Marriott, April 25, 2024

Speaking Engagement

Emerging Strategies for Efficiently Dealing With NPE Patent Threats

San Jose, CA, The Westin San Jose, April 24, 2023 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM EST

Speaking Engagement

2019 Global IP Strategy Conference

Washington, DC, March 15, 2019

Related News & Insights

From Daniel S. Block

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Get-Grin Receives Favorable Grants in Patent Infringement Lawsuit

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Grin Granted Stay of Dental Monitoring Lawsuit Over Patents

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April 2, 2024

Sterne Kessler Secures PTAB Win on Behalf of Client RoboticVISIONTech

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February 28, 2024

Jury Awards Wirtgen $12.9M Against Caterpillar in Milling Machine Lawsuit

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February 27, 2024

Sterne Kessler and Patterson IP Law Team Up to Secure $12.9M Wirtgen Win Over Caterpillar

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February 27, 2024

Caterpillar Owes Deere $13 Million in Road-Milling Patent Trial

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In the News

February 26, 2024

Caterpillar to Pay Wirtgen $12.9M in Damages After Patent Battle

Construction Briefing

Articles

February 21, 2024

PTAB Spotlight Series with Daniel Block

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Firm News

September 18, 2023

Sterne Kessler Achieves Top Litigation Rankings in Patexia’s 2023 PTAB Intelligence Report

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In the News

September 8, 2023

How IP Lawyers Make Law Firm Referrals a Win-Win

Managing IP

PTAB Strategies and Insights

May 2, 2023

PTAB Strategies and Insights Newsletter - May 2023

Multiple Authors

Articles

May 1, 2023

Kyocera and the Brewing Debate Over Expert Qualifications at the PTAB

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Firm News

January 25, 2023

Sterne Kessler Scores Another District Court Patent Win for Client Block Inc.

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In the News

January 25, 2023

Tidal Escapes Patent Suit Over Music Playlist Tech

Law360

In the News

November 10, 2022

Patexia Insight 158: Top IPR Firms of 2022

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September 23, 2022

Roku Gets Universal Remote Patent Wiped Out at PTAB

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In the News

September 23, 2022

Roku Scores Latest Win in Ongoing Patent Battles Over TV Tech

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July 19, 2022

PTAB Won’t Ax Claims in Caller ID Patent Row on Remand

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Firm News

May 17, 2022

Sterne Kessler Secures Brand Protection Victory in District Court for VW & Audi

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In the News

May 16, 2022

Volkswagen Wins $1.2M in Suit Over Counterfeit Audi Wheels

Law360

In the News

May 6, 2022

Skilled in the Art With Scott Graham (May 2022)

Law.com

In the News

May 4, 2022

Dorsey’s Block Slips Suit Saying It Copied Payments Software (2)

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Firm News

May 3, 2022

District Court Patent Win for Client Block, Inc.

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In the News

April 28, 2022

Patent Tribunal Judges Urge Firms to Send Women, Diverse Lawyers

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In the News

April 1, 2022

Skilled in the Art With Scott Graham (Apr. 2022)

Law.com

In the News

March 31, 2022

EU Unified Patent Court Spurs Delight and Fear for Experts

Law360

Reports

March 7, 2022

2021 PTAB Year in Review: Analysis & Trends

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox Multiple Authors

Articles

March 7, 2022

Expert Bad Behavior: The Problem and Potential Solutions

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox Daniel S. Block

Firm News

March 7, 2022

Sterne Kessler Publishes 2021 PTAB Year in Review: Analysis & Trends Report

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In the News

April 9, 2021

Take-Two Loses Bid for Tribunal Review of Video Game Patents

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In the News

March 30, 2021

Roku Wipes Out Remote Control Patents At PTAB

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In the News

February 11, 2021

PTAB Programs Spurring More Amendments, Faster Appeals

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In the News

June 26, 2020

PTAB Judges Dish On Argument Strategy In New Atty Training

Law360

In the News

May 22, 2020

Lamborghini Scores $6M TM Win Against Argentine Co. Owner

Law360

Client Alert

March 4, 2020

IP Hot Topic: 2019 PTAB Year in Review: Analysis & Trends

Multiple Authors

Articles

February 28, 2020

Consistency at the PTAB

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox Daniel S. Block, David W. Haars

Firm News

February 28, 2020

Sterne Kessler Publishes 2019 PTAB Year in Review Report

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.

Reports

February 25, 2020

2019 PTAB Year in Review: Analysis & Trends

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox Multiple Authors

Client Alert

December 6, 2019

Senators Propose Bill to Strengthen Anti-Counterfeiting Toolkit with Design Patents

Daniel S. Block, Deirdre M. Wells

In the News

November 20, 2019

PTAB Wrestles With How To Construe Anti-Spoofing Patent

Law360

In the News

May 8, 2019

Law360 Names Attys Who Moved Up The Firm Ranks In Q1 (2019)

Law360

Articles

April 18, 2019

Return on Investment – Proving That Protection Pays

World Trademark Review Multiple Authors

Firm News

January 3, 2019

Sterne Kessler Elects Six New Directors

In the News

September 12, 2018

MyMail Computer Toolbar Patent Survives PTAB Challenge

Law360

In the News

September 4, 2018

PTAB Again Upholds Cisco Patent On Remand From Fed Circ.

Law360

PTAB Strategies and Insights

August 22, 2018

PTAB Strategies and Insights - August 2018

Multiple Authors

Articles

August 22, 2018

Summary of Trial Practice Guide Updates

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C. Daniel S. Block, Jason A. Fitzsimmons

Books and Chapters

February 17, 2017

Patent Office Litigation - Second Edition 2017

Thomson Reuters Westlaw Multiple Authors

In the News

March 23, 2015

PTAB Nixes Symantec Computer Back-Up Patent In AIA Review

Law360