Deanna C. Smiley

Associate

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Deanna C. Smiley

Associate

+1 571 203 2717 +1 571 203 2717
deanna.smiley@finnegan.com deanna.smiley@finnegan.com

1875 Explorer Street
Suite 800
Reston, VA 20190-6023

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Deanna Smiley applies her bioengineering experience to focus on patent litigation before U.S. district courts and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) of the U.S. Patent Office (USPTO), patent prosecution, and client counseling on patent matters. Her litigation practice extends to multiple aspects of the litigation process, including prior art searching and legal research; drafting motions and petitions for inter partes review (IPR); preparing invalidity contentions; developing claim construction strategies; and conducting discovery.

Deanna is experienced in all stages of district court litigation, including identifying validity and infringement strategies; drafting dispositive briefings; drafting and arguing motions; and developing and arguing claim construction positions. She also drafts and oversees USPTO challenges for petitioners and patent owners, including IPRs, post-grant reviews, and ex parte reexaminations. She has extensive experience coordinating between district court and PTAB trial strategy.

Prior to joining Finnegan, Deanna worked in the patent classification services field, focusing on medical devices, packaging, sports equipment, and textiles. She has extensive knowledge of the major patent classification fields, including United States Patent Classification (USPC), International Patent Classification (IPC), and Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC). While in law school, Deanna wrote for the American University Intellectual Property Brief.

Experience

Obtained a royalty-free license to Stragent’s entire patent portfolio after forcing Stragent to concede in open court that it could not present enough evidence to prove infringement of its asserted patents, which Stragent read on the automotive communications standard AUTOSAR. Successfully invalidated multiple of Stragent’s patents before the Patent Office, with one victory on appeal and additional IPR petitions pending at the time of case resolution.

1:20-cv-00510, D. Del., Judge Wolson
1:23-cv-00005, D. Del., Judge Wolson
IPR2023-00333, -00334, PTAB
22-2062 , Fed. Cir.
IPR2021-00417, -00418, -00419, PTAB, Judges Galligan, Repko, White

In the Matter of Certain Semiconductor Devices and Products Containing the Same

Achieved a comprehensive victory for respondent Innoscience, a global leader in gallium nitride (GaN) power devices, in a high-profile patent dispute before the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC). The ITC’s Final Determination confirms that Innoscience avoided all patent claims asserted by Infineon.

337‑TA‑1414, ITC, Judge Moore

Carrum Technologies, LLC v. BMW of North America, LLC, et al.

Obtained complete victory against Carrum on appeal of the District of Delaware’s claim construction to the Federal Circuit following Carrum’s stipulation of non-infringement under the claim construction, thereby exonerating BMW’s ACC system, first sold in 2000, against Carrum’s 2004 patents. Invalidated several asserted claims through post-grant efforts before the U.S. Patent Office, including IPRs and EPRs, and pursued claims through proceedings before the Eastern District of Virginia to vindicate BMW’s patent challenges.

1:18-cv-01645, D. Del., Judge Andrews
21-1435, 24-1480, Fed. Cir., Judges Clevenger, Cunningham, Lourie, Moore, Prost, Taranto
IPR2019-00902, -00903, -00904, -00905, -00927, 00928, PTAB, Judges Browne, Scanlon, Tornquist
90/019,010, CRU

Secured a royalty-free covenant not to sue from NorthStar for its present and future patent portfolio, which includes patents related to displaying navigation information on electronic maps, mobile devices selectively reporting GPS position information to others, and route-based communication planning architecture and wireless communication. This result was achieved after filing a declaratory judgement as well as IPRs on all claims of all asserted patents, leading to favorable institution decisions.

2:22-cv-00486, E.D. Tex., Judge Gilstrap
6:23-cv-00456, W.D. Tex., Judge Albright
IPR2023-00890, -00934, -01017,-01049, -01190, -01191, PTAB, Judges Droesch, Flax, Petravick, Wood

Represented Truist Bank in a patent litigation in the Eastern District of Texas against USAA, who asserted five patents directed to mobile deposit technologies. After asserting counterclaims on six patents and filing IPR petitions for each of USAA’s asserted patents, Finnegan’s strategy led to a favorable dismissal.

2:22-cv-00291, E.D. Tex., Judge Gilstrap
IPR2022-01593, IPR2023-00143, -00144, -00183, -00184, -00829, PTAB, Judges Dirba, Droesch, McMillin, White, Zecher

Represented Bosch in a patent litigation in the Eastern District of Texas against Universal Arbor related to accessories for oscillating power tools. The case resulted in a favorable dismissal for the client.

2:22-cv-00155, E.D. Tex., Judges Gilstrap, Payne

News

Press Release

Finnegan Secures Decisive ITC Victory for Innoscience in Final Determination Finnegan Secures Decisive ITC Victory for Innoscience in Final Determination

May 11, 2026

Commentary

ITC Bars Import of Innoscience Chips Made Before Redesign ITC Bars Import of Innoscience Chips Made Before Redesign

May 8, 2026

Law360

Commentary

CBP Clears Redesigned Innoscience Chips After ITC Case CBP Clears Redesigned Innoscience Chips After ITC Case

March 12, 2026

Law360

Press Release

Finnegan Secures Major ITC Victory in Initial Determination for Innoscience Finnegan Secures Major ITC Victory in Initial Determination for Innoscience

January 29, 2026

Commentary

ITC Judge Clears Innoscience's Redesigned Semiconductor ITC Judge Clears Innoscience's Redesigned Semiconductor

January 29, 2026

Law360

Commentary

Delaware Federal Court Patent Decisions Clearing BMW Upheld by Fed. Circ. Delaware Federal Court Patent Decisions Clearing BMW Upheld by Fed. Circ.

October 15, 2025

Law360

Admissions and Education

Admissions

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Virginia

Education

American University, Washington College of Law: J.D., 2021

University of Pittsburgh: B.S., Bioengineering, 2014

Deanna's Practices

Global IP Enforcement, Litigation, and Trials: Patent Litigation and Trials
Patent Office Invalidation Proceedings: PTAB Invalidation Proceedings: IPR and PGR
Prosecution and Portfolio Management: Patent Drafting and Prosecution; Trade Secrets

Deanna's Industries

AI, Electronics, and Information Technology: Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality (AR/VR)
Chemicals, Industrials, and Materials: Manufacturing; Textiles
Hospitality, Gaming, and Leisure: Sports, Fitness, and Outdoor Recreation
Life Sciences: Medical Device and Diagnostics