Overview

David Sar represents clients in commercial disputes and matters pertaining to technology and intellectual property. He litigates and handles business transactions involving trademarks, patents, copyrights, trade secrets, and technology.

My Practices

  • David counsels clients in nearly every area of intellectual property, and handles business transactions involving trademarks, patents, copyrights, trade secrets and technology. He has handled the prosecution or maintenance of more than 4,000 trademark and copyright registrations, both within the United States and internationally. David was in the 2013 inaugural class of board-certified "specialists" in trademark law, was later Chair of that specialization committee, and remains a certified specialist.

    Among other honors and awards, he was named "Lawyer of the Year" for Greensboro for Litigation--Intellectual Property (2014, 2021), Trade Secrets Law (2017, 2020, 2022) and Trademark Law (2019) by Best Lawyers (formerly The Best Lawyers in America©). He also has been listed annually since 2008 in Best Lawyers for various fields including Intellectual Property, Patent Law, Trademark Law, and Trade Secrets Law, in North Carolina Super Lawyers for Intellectual Property Litigation (2014-2023 and 2009-2010, Rising Star), and in Business North Carolina as a "Legal Elite" for Intellectual Property (formerly Patents/Intellectual Property (2005-2008, 2010-2023)) and as a "Young Gun" (2008).

    A client quoted in the 2019 Chambers USA guide stated that David "is a very intelligent, well-spoken and approachable person, and moreover a very good intellectual property attorney.”

    David serves as a member of the Local Patent Rules Committee for the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina (2019-present).

  • David represents clients in commercial disputes and matters pertaining to technology and intellectual property. He litigates and tries cases in state and federal courts, as well as before government agencies. 

    Among other honors and awards, he was named "Lawyer of the Year" for Greensboro for Litigation--Intellectual Property (2014, 2021), Trade Secrets Law (2017, 2020, 2022) and Trademark Law (2019) by Best Lawyers (formerly The Best Lawyers in America©).  He also has been listed annually since 2008 in Best Lawyers for various fields including Intellectual Property, Patent Law, Trademark Law, and Trade Secrets Law, in North Carolina Super Lawyers for Intellectual Property Litigation (2014-2023 and 2009-2010, Rising Star), and in Business North Carolina as a "Legal Elite" for Intellectual Property (formerly Patents/Intellectual Property (2005-2008, 2010-2023)) and as a "Young Gun" (2008).

    David serves as a member of the Local Patent Rules Committee for the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina (2019-present).

  • David has extensive experience writing and negotiating software and technology licenses for businesses. He counsels and assists clients with all manner of software licenses, celebrity endorsement contracts, brand licenses, and collaborative technology development contracts.

    Among other honors and awards, he was named "Lawyer of the Year" for Greensboro for Litigation--Intellectual Property (2014, 2021), Trade Secrets Law (2017, 2020, 2022) and Trademark Law (2019) by Best Lawyers (formerly The Best Lawyers in America©).  He also has been listed annually since 2008 in Best Lawyers for various fields including Intellectual Property, Patent Law, Trademark Law, and Trade Secrets Law, in North Carolina Super Lawyers for Intellectual Property Litigation (2014-2023 and 2009-2010, Rising Star), and in Business North Carolina as a "Legal Elite" for Intellectual Property (formerly Patents/Intellectual Property (2005-2008, 2010-2023)) and as a "Young Gun" (2008).

Credentials

Honors & Recognitions

Recognized in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business for Intellectual Property Law (2016-2023)

Selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in Litigation - Intellectual Property (2008-2024); Litigation - Patent, Patent Law, and Trademark Law (2011-2024); Trade Secrets Law (2016-2024); Advertising Law (2024); and as the “Lawyer of the Year” in Greensboro for Litigation - Intellectual Property (2014, 2021), Trade Secrets Law (2017, 2020, 2022) and Trademark Law (2019)

Recognized as a North Carolina Lawyers Weekly "Leader in the Law" (2023)

Recognized as a "Trademark Star" by Managing Intellectual Property's IP STARS (2019-2023)

Recognized in North Carolina Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters) in Intellectual Property Litigation (2014-2024); Top 100 attorneys (2018); “Rising Star” (2009-2010), Law and Politics Magazine 

Recognized in Super Lawyers Business Edition in Intellectual Property Litigation (2015)

Recognized by his peers for inclusion in Business North Carolina's "Legal Elite" in Patents and Intellectual Property Law (2005-2007), Intellectual Property Law (2008, 2010-2024) and “Young Guns” (2008)

Recognized by his peers as a Fellow in The Litigation Counsel of America, trial lawyer honorary society, 2014-2015

40 Leaders Under Forty Award Recipient, Triad Business Journal (2007)

Education

Yale University, J.D., 1996; Articles Editor, Yale Law Journal on Regulation, 1994-95; Olin Scholar

Duke University, A.B., 1992, magna cum laude; Phi Beta Kappa

Certifications

Certified by the North Carolina Board of Legal Specialization as a specialist in Trademark Law, 2013 to present

Admissions

North Carolina

U.S. Court of Federal Claims

U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit

U.S. District Court for the Western, Middle, and Eastern Districts of North Carolina

Newsroom

News

Professional & Civic

Professional & Civic Activities

Advisory Member, Ethics Committee, North Carolina State Bar Council (2021)

Local Patent Rules Committee, United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina (2019-present)

Chairman (2011-2012), Vice Chairman (2010-11), Treasurer (2009-10), Secretary (2008-09), Pro Bono / Information Chair (2007-08), Newsletter Chair (2005-07), Intellectual Property Section of North Carolina Bar Association 

Council (2016-2017), Sports and Entertainment Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association

Launch Greensboro, Advisory Board (2019-present)

Vice-Chairman (2009-13) and Member (2006-2016) of Board of Directors, Nussbaum Center for Entrepreneurship

Chairman (2018-2019), Trademark Specialty Committee, North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization (2011-2019)

Institutional Review Board, Moses Cone Health System (2005-2018)

Chairman (2016-2019), Operation Smile - Carolinas Board of Directors (2008-2023) and Co-Chair of Smiles Galore Gala (2006-2007)

Judge (2009), Wake Forest Business School Elevator Competition for Entrepreneurs 

President (2010-11), Jefferson Wood Homeowners Association Board

Adjunct Professor, University of North Carolina School of Law (1998-2000)

Intellectual Property Section of American Bar Association

American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA)

About Me

David has many interests, professional and otherwise, beyond what appears on this page. He counsels a significant private school. He helps entrepreneurs launch their ideas. He also tries to convince his kids that his fondness for baseball, Duke basketball, the outdoors, and video games is not misguided. Results are pending.

  • 19,341
    19,341 ft of Mount Kilimanjaro summitted
  • 1
    1 time narrowly avoided colliding with Prince Charles while studying in Oxford
  • 8+
    8+ unusual subjects of IP cases litigated, including: airplane refueling trucks, cell phones chips, a dinosaur, dragonflies, flower designs on clothing, plumbing devices, a presidential campaign slogan, and virtual reality software
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