Cara S. Donels

Cara’s practice focuses on intellectual property litigation and advice, with an emphasis on the life sciences field.

Cara has experience representing and advising clients in many industries, including medical and mechanical device manufacturers and pharmaceutical researchers. Cara’s practice spans the country and includes appearances in several administrative courts.

Prior to practicing law, Cara worked for an aviation engineering firm, where she gained experience balancing legal solutions with the reality of business needs.

Recent Cases

• Vascular Solutions LLC v. Medtronic, Inc. – District of Minnesota
• Intirion Corporation v. College Products – Southern District of Iowa
• In re Certain Automated Retractable Vehicle Steps and Components Thereof – ITC
• Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation v. My Way Betty Ford Klinik GmbH – District of Minnesota
• J.M. Smucker Company v. Hormel Foods Corporation – District of Ohio
• Core Distribution v. Day to Day Imports – Central District of California
• Doda USA v. Waste Management – District of Delaware
• McGlynn v. Magzter, Inc. – Southern District of New York
• NPG Records, LLC v. JHO Intellectual Property Holdings LLC – TTAB
• Oxygenator Water Technologies v. Tennant Company – District of Minnesota

Intellectual Property Experience

• Cara counsels life science researchers regarding inventorship and trade secret disputes.
• Cara is a member of a case team defending the world’s leading medical products provider in a patent infringement lawsuit in the District of Minnesota.
• Cara represented the Estate of a world-renowned recording artist and musician in the TTAB.
• Cara and her colleagues brought suit against a supercharger manufacturer for patent infringement.
• Cara is a member of the case team that won dismissal defending the SKIPPY^®peanut butter trade dress in Ohio.
• Cara and her colleagues won a dismissal of a copyright claim for a recording artist in the Southern District of New York and on appeal in the Second Circuit.
• Cara was a trial team member pursuing a claim for correction of patent inventorship in the District of Delaware.
• Cara was a trial team member defending and pursuing multiple patents in the Northern District of Iowa.

Education

• University of Iowa College of Law, J.D., 2019
• Wartburg College, B.A., 2016, summa cum laude

Admissions

• Iowa, 2019
• Minnesota, 2023
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa
• U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

• Great Plains Super Lawyers Rising Star, Intellectual Property Litigation, 2023-2025
• Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, Litigation - Intellectual Property, 2023-2025; Intellectual Property Law, 2024-2025; Litigation - Patent, 2024-2025

Professional Activities

• Iowa Intellectual Property Law Association, Board Member
• Court Appointed Special Advocate, Volunteer
• Polk County Bar Association, Member
• Journal of Corporation Law, Managing Editor, 2018-2019
• University of Iowa Voting Rights Clinic, Volunteer, 2018-2019
• Young Professionals Connection, Member