Lead Judge Susan Mitchell

Judge Mitchell earned a J.D. degree from The University of Tennessee College of Law, with high honors, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry, with highest honors, from The University of Tennessee at Knoxville.  Judge Mitchell served as a Law Clerk for the Honorable R. Allan Edgar, Federal District Judge, at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, followed by time as an Associate at Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, before serving as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Giles S. Rich, Circuit Judge, at the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.  Following her clerkship with Circuit Judge Rich, Judge Mitchell joined the Department of Justice where she served first as a line attorney, and later, as an Assistant Director for the Intellectual Property Section, Commercial Litigation Branch, Civil Division.  Judge Mitchell currently serves as a Lead Judge for the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.