Matthew James Dowd

Matthew James Dowd is a founder and managing partner at Dowd Scheffel PLLC, where he specializes in complex appellate and trial litigation with a strong emphasis on patent and intellectual property issues. His practice covers a broad range of technologies, including chemicals, pharmaceuticals, software, and mechanical inventions. Mr. Dowd possesses significant experience in Hatch-Waxman litigation, leveraging his background in medicinal chemistry for pharmaceutical patent disputes. While his tracked appearances indicate a focus on representing plaintiffs, his firm's stated practice includes assisting both patent owners and patent challengers.

Among his notable engagements, Mr. Dowd served as appellate counsel for Centripetal Networks, LLC in its prominent patent infringement litigation against Cisco Systems, Inc. The case initially resulted in a multi-billion dollar award for Centripetal, later overturned on appeal, and ultimately concluded with a finding of non-infringement on remand. He also acted as Of Counsel for Centripetal Networks, LLC in a case against Palo Alto Networks, Inc., which involved a Federal Circuit appeal vacating and remanding a PTAB decision. Prior to co-founding Dowd Scheffel PLLC in 2018, Mr. Dowd was a partner at firms such as Wiley Rein and Andrews Kurth.

Mr. Dowd regularly appears in proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) and possesses extensive appellate experience, having argued over fifteen appeals before the Federal Circuit and other courts. His PTAB work includes successfully advocating for the institution of inter partes reviews (IPRs) and arguing Federal Circuit appeals affirming PTAB decisions. He is a former law clerk to Chief Judge Paul R. Michel (ret.) of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Mr. Dowd earned his J.D. with high honors from The George Washington University Law School in 2008 and holds a B.S. from The College of William and Mary, with prior Ph.D. studies in medicinal chemistry. He is admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court, the D.C. and New York bars, and multiple U.S. Courts of Appeals, including the Federal Circuit, and is a registered patent agent.