Danielle Williams
Partner
Managing Partner, Charlotte & Co-Chair, Intellectual Property Practice
Danielle is the managing partner of Winston’s Charlotte office and co-chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice. She is a high-stakes business litigation lawyer. With 25 years’ experience, Danielle handles significant, high profile disputes for publicly traded and privately held companies involving material damages demands. Over her career, she has represented clients in federal and state courts across the country and in arbitrations in patent infringement, trade secret misappropriation, copyright infringement, breach of contract, antitrust, and environmental matters. Her patent infringement cases have been concentrated in the top patent litigation courts in the country and span a variety of technologies and industries including financial services, high tech, semiconductors, telecommunications, software, mobile applications, and consumer products.
Building on her MBA, Danielle is one of the firm’s go-to attorneys for damages issues. She regularly is brought in to develop damages strategy at all stages of cases, including at trial.
Danielle is regularly recognized as a leading lawyer in industry publications and has been ranked in The Best Lawyers in America© for Commercial Litigation and Intellectual Property Litigation since 2016 and Patent Litigation since 2017. She is also recognized in the 2022–2024 IAM Patent 1000, which commented that she is a “zealous litigator…with an abundance of trial experience” who “knows how to address key issues and make all the right strategic plays.”
Danielle writes and speaks regularly on many topics, including patent damages, Section 285, Section 101, patent litigation trends, as well as her posts and podcasts for WacoWatch, the blog she co-founded with her partner, Kathi Vidal. The press regularly seeks out Danielle for her insights on patent litigation.
Outside of the law, she has served on many boards, including National Sports Media Association, Wake Forest University’s Face2Face, Salem Academy and College, NextNow for UNC School of Arts, Brenner Children’s Hospital, among others; regularly works to advance diversity and equality including serving on the firm’s Women’s Leadership Initiative; and grows award winning roses.
Key Matters
Danielle has first-chaired, led, and consulted in numerous litigations in multiple venues, including the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit; the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals; the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals; the United States International Trade Commission (ITC); the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO); Federal District Courts in California (N.D. Cal., C.D. Cal.), Texas (E.D. Tex., N.D. Tex. and W.D. Tex. including Waco), Delaware, Florida, Massachusetts, Colorado, New Jersey, New York; as well as arbitrations before the ICC and AAA.
- Charlotte Business Journal, “Women in Business Award” (2025)
- Corporate Counsel’s Women, Influence & Power in Law’s “Managing Partner of the Year” (2024)
- IAM Patent 1000 (2022–2024)
- IAM Global Leader (2024–2025)
- WIPR Leaders for Trade Secrets and Patents (2025)
- The Legal 500 US, “Key Lawyer,” for Intellectual Property: Patents: Litigation, full coverage (2024)
- The Best Lawyers in America®for Commercial Litigation and Intellectual Property Litigation (2016–2025)
- The Best Lawyers in America®for Patent Litigation (2017–2025)
- North Carolina Pro Bono Honor Society (2016–2018, 2020)
- Business Leader Magazine’s “Women Extraordinaire” and “Movers & Shakers Award” (2008)
- Salem Academy “Young Alumna Award” (2008)
- Triad Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” (2005) and “Women in Business” (2004)
- National Sports Media Association: Board Member
- Wake Forest University – Face2Face Speaker Series: Board Member
- Salem Academy & College: Board of Trustees (May 2016 to May 2018); Co-Chair, Women of Purpose Campaign (December 2015 to May 2018)
- Forsyth Country Day School: Board of Trustees (July 2015 to June 2021)
- Brenner Children’s Hospital: Advisory Board (2003 to present); Chair (2014 to 2016)
- Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Board of Visitors (July 2014 to June 2016)
- National Association of Women Lawyers, Member
- Georgia Bio, Legal & Regulatory Affairs Committee, co-chair (2014 to 2015)
- Georgia Bio Innovation Summit, Program Committee (2015)
- American Red Cross, Northwest North Carolina Chapter, Board of Directors (former)
- Athena’s Run for GYN Cancers, Board of Directors and Secretary (former)
- Center for Women in Business, Salem College, Advisory Board (former)
- The Enrichment Center, Board Member (former)
- Salem Academy Alumnae Board (former)
A zealous litigator with an affinity for high-profile and high-stakes disputes.
IAM Patent 1000
Capabilities
Key Matters
Danielle has first-chaired, led, and consulted in numerous litigations in multiple venues, including the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit; the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals; the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals; the United States International Trade Commission (ITC); the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO); Federal District Courts in California (N.D. Cal., C.D. Cal.), Texas (E.D. Tex., N.D. Tex. and W.D. Tex. including Waco), Delaware, Florida, Massachusetts, Colorado, New Jersey, New York; as well as arbitrations before the ICC and AAA.
Credentials
Education
Danielle received her J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law in 1996, where she was a recipient of the Robert Goldberg Award for Excellence in Trial Advocacy and back-to-back National Trial Team regional champion. She received her B.A. in English and Spanish from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1992, and her MBA from Wake Forest University in 1996.
Admissions
- North Carolina
- Georgia
Related Insights & News
Danielle is the co-founder and an editor of Winston’s WacoWatch Blog. She is also an editor of Winston’s Federal Circuit Blog. In addition to the WacoWatch posts and podcasts and the Federal Circuit posts, Danielle has authored articles on patent litigation and patent damages. She regularly speaks on panels addressing issues on patent litigation, patent damages, women in the legal profession, and the next generation of lawyers.
Representative speaking engagements and publications include the following:
- Moderator, “Defining Geopolitics in the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” a Winston & Strawn and Berkeley Center for Law & Technology, Disruptive Technologies Legal Summit (Virtual, Sep. 14, 2021).
- Panelist, UPWARD U.N.I.T.E.S. Women Virtual Event, Santa Clara University (Virtual, Nov. 5, 2020).
- Moderator, IP Institute Women's Workshop, a CHiPs and USC Gould School of Law event (Sep. 22, 2020).
- Moderator, “Judicial Panel: Grappling with the Uncertainties Created by Halo, Alice, and FRAND,” a Winston & Strawn, Federal Circuit Bar Association, and Berkeley Center for Law and Technology webinar in cooperation with The Sedona Conference with panelists Federal Circuit Appellate Judge Kathleen M. O’Malley and Federal District Court Judges Alan D Albright (WDTX) and Cathy Ann Bencivengo (CASD), and The Sedona Conference Patent Litigation Working Group Chairs Matt Powers and Eric Hutz (Virtual, Jul. 28, 2020).
- Moderator, “Digital Currency’s Impact,” a Winston & Strawn, Santa Clara University, and Berkeley Center for Law & Technology, Disruptive Technologies Legal Summit (California, Sep. 12, 2019).
- “The Second Coming of FinTech – Regulatory and Antitrust Considerations with Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain,” Winston & Strawn Webinar Briefing (April 27, 2019).
- Co-Chair, Daily Journal’s 2019 Patent Disputes Forum (Menlo Park, California Apr. 17, 2019).
- Moderator, “Patent Damages Trends in the District Courts – Pre-Trial, Trial and Post-Trial” at Daily Journal’s 2019 Patent Disputes Forum (Menlo Park, California Apr. 17, 2019).
- Moderator, “AI and the Financial Services Industry,” a Winston & Strawn and Berkeley Center for Law & Technology Seminar, An Innovation Transformation: Navigating the Legal Risks and Business Opportunities of Disruptive Technologies (California, Sep. 6, 2018).
- Moderator, “New Perspectives on Handling Trolls & NPEs,” Consero – Global Managing IP Forum (Pasadena, California Jun. 3, 2018).
- Co-Chair, Daily Journal’s2018 Patent Disputes Forum (Menlo Park, California Apr. 18, 2018).
- Moderator, “Patent Damages” at Daily Journal’s2018 Patent Disputes Forum (Menlo Park, California Apr. 18, 2018).
- Moderator, “What’s New in Patent Damages?” at Daily Journal’s2017 Patent Disputes Forum (Menlo Park, California Apr. 18, 2017).
- Panelist, “The Sporting Goods Industry: What Keeps In-House Counsel Up At Night?” IADC 2017 Midyear Meeting (Feb. 21, 2017)
- Co-Presenter, “How to Develop and Evaluate Patent Strategies of Early-Stage Companies, ” Angel Capital Association Webinar (Jan. 25, 2017)
- Co-Chair and Moderator, “Supreme Court Update & Cases to Watch,” 2016 Southern California Patent Disputes Forum (Oct. 19, 2016)
- Moderator, “Off-Label Promotion: A Crystal Ball Look at Possible Effects of Recent Developments in This Ever-Evolving Area,” Georgia Bio Innovation Summit (Sep. 28, 2016)
- Panelist, “Negotiating, Preserving and Managing Your IP Rights,” Atlanta ACC (Sep. 19, 2016)
- Panelist, “Discuss Strategies that Effectively Prepare Your Case for a District Court Trial,” 13th Annual Patent for Financial Services Summit (Jul. 20, 2016)
- Co-Chair and Moderator, “Presenting Damages at Trial: How to Relate Your Damages Case to the Jury,” Patent Disputes Forum North (Apr. 14, 2016)
- Panelist, “The IP Landscape Has Changed: But Has Your Strategy?” 2nd Annual IP Strategy Summit Atlanta (Mar. 1, 2016)
- Panelist, “What the Court is Actually Looking for In An Advocate (and Why It Does Not Need to be the Most Senior Partner,” Transitions: The Profession and the Next Generation – FCBA (Jan. 21, 2016)
- Co-Presenter, “Patent Damages: The Success and Failure of a Theory,” INSIGHTS Webinar (Dec. 2, 2015)
- Co-Presenter, “Patent Damages,” INSIGHTS Webinar (Sep. 23 and Oct. 7, 2015)
- Co-Panelist, “Gain an Update on Defending Against NPE Lawsuits,” 12th Annual Patents for Financial Services Summit (New York, Jul. 22, 2015)
- Co-Chair, Patent Disputes Conference (Santa Clara, December 4, 2014)
- Co-Panelist, “Patent Law Before the Supreme Court in 2014″, Thomson Reuters (Santa Clara, December 4, 2014)
- Author, “Negotiating, Preserving & Managing Your IP Rights in Your Vendor & Partner Agreements,” Association of Corporate Counsel Georgia Newsletter, 2016 Winter.
- Author, “Octane Fitness, Highmark, and VirtualAgility Inc.: Their Impact on Patent Law Practitioners and Clients,” Inside the Minds: The Impact of Recent Patent Law Cases and Developments. 2015 ed.
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