David Swetnam-Burland

David Swetnam-Burland is a Partner at Brann & Isaacson, focusing his practice on intellectual property, privacy, and business litigation, particularly for e-commerce and internet retail clients. He is noted for defending operating companies against patent infringement claims, often brought by non-practicing entities (NPEs) or "patent trolls." His work frequently involves challenging patents asserted against ubiquitous website functionalities and software.

Swetnam-Burland consistently represents defendants, with his sole tracked appearance being on the defense side in patent litigation. His firm's intellectual property litigation practice specifically emphasizes defending retailers against patent claims related to their online operations, aiming to achieve claim dismissals or significant reductions in settlement demands.

A notable case in his portfolio is Pointwise Ventures LLC v. Wayfair Inc., where he represented Wayfair against allegations of infringement of a patent related to a "Pointing and Identification Device." Beyond specific cases, Swetnam-Burland has successfully argued dispositive motions and trials, and has presented oral arguments in the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. He has also co-authored amicus briefs on behalf of leading national internet retailers in various federal appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. He was recognized as a "Litigation Star" by Benchmark Litigation and an "IP Star" by IP STARS in their 2026 editions.

While his practice involves significant patent litigation, specific experience in PTAB or IPR proceedings is not reliably sourced in the available information. Swetnam-Burland earned his J.D., magna cum laude and Order of the Coif, from the University of Michigan Law School, and holds an M.A. in Philosophy from the University of Michigan and a B.A. with high honors from Wesleyan University. He is admitted to practice in Maine, California, Oregon, the U.S. Supreme Court, and the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Third and Federal Circuits, among other federal courts.