Ariana Deskins Pellegrino

Member

Ariana Pellegrino is a member of Dickinson Wright’s Troy office. An experienced litigator, Ariana focuses her practice in litigation on intellectual property rights, including with respect to patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets. Ariana is recognized by Best Lawyers in America® “Ones to Watch,” 2021-2025, for her work as a commercial litigator, and was named Nonpartner Associate of the Year by Crain’s Detroit Business for her advocacy on behalf of the University of Michigan.

Education & Credentials

Education

University of Michigan

B.A., 2011

University of Detroit Mercy School of Law

J.D., 2014

summa cum laude
Frank Murphy Honor Society
National Appellate Advocacy Team

Bar Admission

Michigan

Acknowledgements

DBusiness Magazine
- "Top Lawyer," Litigation-- Intellectual Property, 2025
Michigan Super Lawyers®
- "Rising Star", Business Litigation, 2022-2024
Best Lawyers in America®
- "Ones to Watch," Commercial Litigation, 2021-2022, 2024-2025
Crain's Detroit Business
- "Nonpartner Associate of the Year," 2018
Ralph Freeman Scholarship, awarded by Chief Judge Gerald E. Rosen
Patrick A. Keenan Appellate Advocacy Competition
- Top 10 Oralist Award

Representative Clients

University of Michigan
Bestway USA, Inc.
SunStone Information Defense, Inc.

Prominent Assignments

Secured a Section 337 patent infringement victory before the International Trade Commission, obtaining a General Exclusion Order covering multi-panel folding pick-up truck bed cover products imported into the United States.

Secured a jury verdict of willful copyright infringement in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, securing the greatest possible recovery for a large consumer products client.

Secured a jury verdict of willful copyright infringement and willful trade dress infringement—as well as a verdict of no liability on competitor’s Lanham Act false advertising claims—in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Secured a jury verdict of no liability on competitor’s claims of defamation and trade libel in United States District Court for the District of Nevada.

On the eve of closing arguments, favorably settled patent litigation brought by client SunStone Information Defense, Inc. against one of the largest computer companies in the world in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas.

Successfully briefed and argued before the Court of Appeals on behalf of the University of Michigan, obtaining reversal of the trial court’s denial of the University’s Motion for Summary Disposition. Named “2018 Non-Partner Associate of the Year” by Crain’s Detroit Business as a result of that argument.

Member of several trial and arbitration hearing teams that resulted in favorable outcomes for the client, including shareholder and fiduciary claims asserted against private equity group. Responsible for all aspects of trial preparation, including conducting direct examinations of several key witnesses, including the client representative.

Successfully challenged prison officials’ refusal to permit adherent of minority sect to observe Eid al-Fitr, including briefing before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, which upheld the determination that the officials violated the client’s constitutional rights.

Obtained approximately $81 million judgment on behalf of lender in an action to appoint receiver and foreclose with respect to mixed-use development in Ann Arbor, Michigan, including successfully defending that judgment on appeal.

Identified the critical legal argument in multi-million dollar trust litigation, resulting in dismissal with prejudice of all claims asserted against our client.

Professional Involvement

State Bar of Michigan
Defense Research Institute
- Member of Young Lawyers' Planning Committee

Court Admissions

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

Publications/Presentations

The Risk of Silence: Allocating the Risks of Buyers and Sellers Through the Use of Pro- and Anti-Sandbagging Provisions, Business Law Journal (State Bar of Michigan), Spring 2019
With Non-Competes under Attack, What Role for the Courts?, Daniel D. Quick, A. Pellegrino, Litigation Journal (State Bar of Michigan), Winter 2018
Merger and Integration Clauses and Fraud: What Dies with the Deal?, Daniel D. Quick, A. Pellegrino, State Bar of Michigan Litigation Section, Litigation Journal (Winter 2017)
Predictive Coding: Where Are We Now?, A. Pellegrino, S. Petz, S. Hamilton, Michigan Defense Quarterly, Vol. 33 No. 1 (2016)
Attorney-Client Privilege Protections and Employer-Provided Technology: When Does the Employee’s “Expectation of Privacy” End and When Do You, as Counsel, Have an Obligation to Warn the Client?, S. Hamilton, S. Petz, M. Alamo, and A. Deskins, Michigan Defense Quarterly, Vol. 31 No. 3 (Jan. 2015)