William R. Poynter

William Poynter focuses his practice on intellectual property litigation, including patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets. Mr. Poynter’s practice also includes complex commercial litigation matters, and he has extensive experience with electronic discovery, including international electronic data collections.

William Poynter focuses his practice on intellectual property litigation, including patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets. Mr. Poynter’s practice also includes complex commercial litigation matters, and he has extensive experience with electronic discovery, including international electronic data collections.

Before joining Williams Mullen, Mr. Poynter served as a law clerk to the Honorable Alvin A. Schall, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Washington, D.C. Prior to his clerkship, Mr. Poynter was a general litigation associate in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Poynter is a member of the American Bar Association’s Intellectual Property Division, the American Intellectual Property Law Association, the Virginia Bar Association and the Young Lawyers Section of the Norfolk & Portsmouth Bar Association as well as the Federal Circuit Bar Association and the The James Kent American Inn of Court.

Mr. Poynter serves on the board of directors of the Virginia Opera. He has also been named as one of Virginia’s “Legal Elite” by Virginia Business magazine, and as a "Rising Star" for intellectual property litigation by Virginia Super Lawyers magazine.

He earned his undergraduate degrees from Washington & Lee University in 1998, a bachelor of science in chemistry and a bachelor of arts in medieval and renaissance studies, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa. He earned his juris doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2002.

Representative Experience

• Defended manufacturer of outdoor patio furniture made of synthetic wicker against patent infringement claims relating to the shape and construction of the artificial wicker.
• Represented celebrity in suit for false endorsement under the Lanham Act and for violations of Virginia right of publicity statute, in a case which raised a number of issues of first impression in the Fourth Circuit.
• Defended national telecommunications company against claims of patent infringement asserted by a Virginia-based patent holding company relating to wireless email communications.
• Defended manufacturer of outdoor patio furniture in patent license arbitration.
• Defending national discount retailer against claim of infringement of patent on retail checkout business method.
• Defended national discount retailer against claims of patent, trade dress, and copyright infringement relating to the operation, shape, and ornamentation of paper punches.
• Assisted in the defense of national discount retailer against claims of patent, trademark, and trade dress infringement relating to the sale of miniature flashlights. Asserted patent claims involved mechanical operation of the flashlights, and trademark and trade dress claims related to the product's configuration and shape.
• Represent national automobile retailer in numerous trademark and trade dress infringement actions nationwide, and opposition and cancellation proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.
• Represent multi-state Medicaid provider in trademark enforcement litigation.
• Representing nonprofit hospital system in trademark opposition proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.
• Extensive experience with ediscovery, including electronic data preservation and collection, and international electronic data collections in Asia.
• Experience with complex commercial litigation, including representation of reinsurance provider in coverage dispute, representation of tax preparation services in dispute over membership in government-sponsored industry organization, and defense of national discount retailer in wage and hour class action litigation in various state and federal courts.
• Extensive trademark prosecution, patent and trademark licensing, domain name dispute, and software license dispute experience.