MARY J. WILSON received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Agnes Scott College in 1969, a Master of Science degree in Biochemistry from Emory University in 1972 and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the American University in 1980. Dr. Wilson received her Juris doctor degree from the George Washington University in 1989.

Upon graduation from Emory University, Dr. Wilson worked for over ten years as a biochemist at the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. In 1986, Dr. Wilson joined the firm of Cushman, Darby & Cushman in Washington, D.C. where she became a partner in 1993 before joining Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.

Dr. Wilson's legal work experience includes patent application preparation and prosecution, interference practice, and infringement and validity opinion preparation. She has worked principally in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology areas.

Dr. Wilson is admitted to practice before the District of Columbia Bar and is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, but is not admitted in Virginia. She is a member of the American Bar Association.