Attorney and Agent Bios
Peter S. Dardi, Ph.D. Patent Attorney
Peter S. Dardi, Ph.D. graduated in 1980 from the University of Illinois at Urbana with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry with highest distinction. He earned his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley in 1984. Dr. Dardi performed research as a postdoctoral associate in physical chemistry at Michigan State University and the University of Minnesota before attending the University of Minnesota Law School. He graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School magna cum laude and Order of the Coif. He is registered to practice in Georgia, Minnesota, and before the U.S. Patent Office.
Dr. Dardi joined Patterson, Thuente, Skaar & Christensen, P.A as a clerk in 1993 and continued there as a lawyer until 1995. He worked at Fish & Richardson, P.C. from 1995 to 1997 and at Westman, Champlin & Kelly, P.A. from 1997 until 2001. He rejoined Patterson, Thuente, Skaar & Christensen, P.A. in June 2001, where he worked until he left to form Dardi & Associates, PLLC in May 2006. Dr. Dardi is an inventor on three issued U.S. patents, one issued Taiwanese patent and several pending U.S. and international patents. Also, he has published 15 peer-reviewed scientific publications in theoretical physical chemistry.
Dr. Dardi has represented Fortune 500 companies as well as individual inventors; he has also advised start-up companies on intellectual property matters. His practice has involved patent prosecution, opinions regarding various aspects of patents, and agreements relating to patents and joint development efforts. His practice in patent law has spanned a wide range of technologies, including: all areas of chemical practice, materials, medical devices, biotechnology, mechanical devices, chemical processes, integrated electronic devices, optics, optical materials, and web-based business, as well as the interfaces between these areas.
Dr. Dardi is a member of the American Bar Association, the American Intellectual Property Law Association, the Minnesota Bar Association and the Minnesota Intellectual Property Law Association where he is past chair of the Chemical/Biotechnology Committee.
Curtis B. Herbert, Ph.D. Patent Attorney
Curtis B. Herbert. Ph.D., P.A. is a patent attorney experienced in representing businesses from start-up to successful exit. He works with serial entrepreneurs engaged in high technology, high growth companies that need IP and need to navigate through IP owned by others.
Dr. Herbert received his B.S. from Texas A& M in 1985 majoring in Petroleum Engineering. He worked for Exxon USA in Corpus Christi, Texas, where he provided engineering support and analysis for oil and gas well drilling equipment and processes on the King Ranch and other locations in South Texas. He then moved to the offshore division and worked out of New Orleans in the offshore drilling division.
Dr. Herbert left Exxon to get an advanced engineering degree. He spent two semesters at Louisiana State University to acquire the credits required for Chemical Engineering and attended the Univeristy of Texas at Austin, where he received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering in 1996, with Jeffrey Hubbell as advisor. His research was directed to biomaterials, tissue engineering, and neuroscience. This work provided training in scientific disciplines that included the life sciences, cell biology, biotechnology, polymer chemistry, surface chemistry, coatings, hydrogels, biopolymers, and adhesives. His post-doctoral work was preformed at the University of Minnesota.
Dr. Herbert attended William Mitchell College of law in St. Paul, MN, where he studied patent law and graduated in 2001. His honors and awards include giving the commencement speech for his graduating law class, the William Mitchell College Presidential Scholarship for Academic Excellence, 1998 - 2001; the Computer-Assisted Legal Institute (CALI) award, Fall 1999; William Mitchell College of Law Dean's List; University of Texas Chemical Engineering Department Competitive Fellowship, 1995; and National Merit Scholarship, 1981-1985. He is a member of the Minnesota Intellectual Property Law Association, American Institute of Chemical Engineers and Society for Biomaterials.
Dr. Herbert began working as a patent agent while attending law school, and took a full-time position as an attorney at Patterson, Thuente, Christensen, Pedersen, P.A. in 2001. He has represented many start-up or high-technology companies, including Confluent Surgical, Inc. led by Amar Sawhney, which was sold to Tyco Healthcare (now Covidien PLC) for $245 MM in 2006.
Dr. Herbert left the Patterson law firm in 2006 with Dr. Dardi to establish an IP law firm staffed by Ph.D. scientists. Dardi & Herbert, PLLC clients include high technology companies and other companies that use IP as part of a high growth, high valuation strategy. We are excited to assist our clients in creating the future.
Profile and Recommendations at Linked-In
Mengmeng Fahrni, Ph.D. Patent Agent
Mengmeng Fahrni, Ph.D. graduated from Lanzhou University (P.R. China) with Bachelor of Science degree in physical chemistry. She earned her Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Northwestern University (Evanston, IL). She subsequently worked as medicinal chemist in industry before transition to legal profession. Dr. Fahrni has nine peer-reviewed scientific publications in chemistry and biochemistry.
Dr. Fahrni has experience drafting and prosecuting domestic and international patent applications in pharmaceuticals, chemicals, materials, biotechnology, nanotechnology, and medical device arts. She also performs patentability searching, freedom to operate, and due diligence studies.
Nikhil Patel, Ph.D., Attorney
Nikhil Patel, Ph.D. graduated in 1996 from Ohio Northern University with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry. He earned his Ph.D. in chemical physics from The Pennsylvania State University in 2003. Dr. Patel performed research as postdoctoral scholar in chemical physics at The University of Virginia before attending Emory University School of Law where he graduated in 2010. He is registered to practice in Georgia.
Dr. Patel performed his Ph.D. research in computational molecular dynamics in supercritical fluids and his postdoctoral research was directed to the development of novel density functional and integral equation theories of supercritical systems. Dr. Patel has published eight peer reviewed articles and has made presentations at national science meetings.
His honors include an academic merit scholarship at Emory University School of Law; Dean's List at Emory University School of Law; Robertson Fellowship at The Pennsylvania State University; and Faculty Induction into the American Mathematical Society at Ohio Northern University.
Dr. Patel is a member of the American Bar Association and the Georgia State Bar Association.