Darrell Mottley

Biography

Darrell G. Mottley is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Law and Faculty Director of the Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship Clinic (IPEC). The IPEC represents entrepreneurs and start-up companies on business law matters, such as formation, contract law, and Intellectual Property strategy. The IPEC students represent clients on an extensive range of intellectual property issues, including patent (utility and design), trademark, copyright, and trade secret law. Professor Mottley’s scholarship explores the intersection of Intellectual Property law between design patents, trade dress, copyright, and utility patent law, including Web 3.0 virtual and cryptographic environments.

Prior to joining Suffolk’s faculty, Professor Mottley served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the Howard University School of Law, where he founded and directed the IP and Patent Law Clinic and taught a new AI and the Law seminar. Professor Mottley was also a Professorial Lecturer in Law at The George Washington University Law School for over a decade where he co-taught Design Law.  

As a registered Patent Attorney and former shareholder of the BannerWitcoff law firm, Professor Mottley has advised on intellectual property aspects of multiple technologies, including obtaining Artificial Intelligence technology focused patents for clients. Professor Mottley has been rated a SuperLawyer by Thomson Reuters from 2020-2024. He has been rated as an IP Star in the United States, and in the District of Columbia by Managing Intellectual Property from 2013-2024. Professor Mottley is listed in the IAM Patent 1000-World’s Leading Patent Professionals from 2017-2024.

Professor Mottley has been a volunteer leader in the organized bar. He has served as the National Chair of the Fellows of American Bar Foundation in 2022-2023 and President of the District of Columbia Bar in 2011-2012.  During his term as President, he emphasized lawyers should do more for access to justice and pro bono service for those in need of civil legal services. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Professor Mottley was an engineer in private practice, in the federal government and a commissioned officer in the U.S. Air Force Reserves.

Professor Mottley holds a B.S. in Engineering Science & Mechanics and an M.B.A. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute, and a J.D. degree with honors from The George Washington University Law School, where he served as a Notes Editor of the Public Contract Law Journal student editorial board.

Education

• BS, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
• MBA, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
• JD, The George Washington University School of Law

Publications

Articles

• Intellectual Property Issues in the Network Cloud: Virtual Models and Digital Three-Dimensional Printers, 9 J. Bus. & Tech. L. 151 (2014)

Book Chapters

• The Tools for Protecting Fashion Law Clients, Navigating Fashion Law: Leading Lawyers on Exploring the Trends, Cases, and Strategies of Fashion Law, Thomson Reuters, 2012

Honors and Awards

• Intellectual Property Expert of the Year in Washington D.C., Global Advisory Experts, 2023
• Washington D.C. Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2020-2024
• IP Star, Managing Intellectual Property, 2017-2024
• IAM Patent 1000, the World’s Leading Patent Professionals, 2013-2024

Bar Admittance

• VA
• DC
• NJ