Kate McMorrow represents a wide range of clients in all aspects of intellectual property and advertising law, including with respect to trademarks, false advertising, unfair competition, copyrights, and patents. Her practice focuses on brand protection and enforcement, from domestic and international trademark selection and searches, prosecution, procurement, and enforcement, to providing legal advice regarding clients’ branding guidelines, press releases, social media marketing, endorsements, and advertising. She also regularly handles intellectual property due diligence associated with mergers and acquisitions and advises clients on intellectual property licenses and assignments, as well as development, distribution, promotion, and marketing agreements.
Kate also represents clients in their intellectual property enforcement and defense. She has extensive experience litigating trademark, trade dress, domain name, false advertising, trade secret, patent, copyright, unfair competition, and contract cases in both federal and state courts and at the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB), Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), and WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center. Kate performs pre-suit investigations and assessments, leads pre-suit enforcement and negotiation efforts, drafts and argues motions, handles all phases of both fact and expert discovery, including depositions, and represents clients through mediations and settlements. She has drafted numerous case-ending pre-trial motions and was also on a litigation team that obtained a change in law at the U.S. Supreme Court.
Kate is active in the legal community, currently serving on the International Trademark Association’s (INTA) Internet Committee and Evolving Technologies Subcommittee. Kate also previously served on the IP and Innovation Track Project Team for the INTA Annual Meeting in Singapore, as well as on the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s (LACBA) Entertainment and IP Law Section and Young Attorney Section, and on the Planning Committee for the Young Lawyers Section of the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles (WLALA).
Prior to joining Knobbe Martens, Kate practiced IP law at one of the largest multinational law firms in the world and at a Chicago-based intellectual property law firm. Kate earned her JD at Boston University School of Law where she was Vice President of the IP Law Society and a staff member of the American Journal of Law & Medicine. During law school Kate also interned at one of the leading food testing companies working on domestic and international acquisitions and at Boston University’s Office of Technology Development researching licensing metrics to optimize IP portfolio management.
Boston University School of Law, J.D., Law, IP Law Society – Vice President, Health Law Association – Director of Publicity
Truman State University, B.S., Chemistry, (B.A. English, 2012)
State Bar of California
State Bar of Illinois
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
U.S. District Court – Central District of California
U.S. District Court – Northern District of California
U.S. District Court – Northern District of Illinois
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Advertising, Media & Entertainment
Actors
Artists
Athletes
Digital Distribution
Film & Television
Literary Works
Mobile Applications
Music
Musical Instruments & Accessories
Online Games
Publishing
Social Media
Studios
Video Games & Interactive Entertainment
Writers
Biotech
CBD & Legal Cannabis
Diagnostic Tools
Genomics
Plant Patents
Chemical, Industrial & Materials
Analytical Chemistry
Construction & Home Improvement
Cosmetics & Personal Care Products
Oil & Gas
Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Consumer Products & Services
Aesthetics & Personal Care Products
Food & Beverage
Restaurants & Hospitality
Sporting Goods & Recreation
Electrical, Semiconductor & Computer Technology
Software & IT
Fashion & Beauty
Bags
Clothing
Footwear
Jewelry
Financial Services & Business Methods
Cryptocurrency & Encryption
Data Privacy
Dispute Resolution
Licensing & Indemnification
Open Source
Medical Devices & Procedures
Dental Devices
Dermatology
Diagnostics
Drug-Eluting Devices
Minimally Invasive & Endoscopic Procedures
Neurology
Orthopedics
Surgical Equipment
Wound Care
Pharmaceuticals
Diagnostic Tools
Research Tools & Reagents
Transportation & Vehicles
Electronics (Audio / Video, Communication, Navigation, Security)
Advertising, Media & Entertainment Practice
Appellate Litigation
Assignments & Licenses
Audits
Brand Portfolio Management
Brand Search
Copyright
Copyright Litigation
Copyright Litigation
Due Diligence
False & Comparative Advertising
False & Comparative Advertising Litigation
False Advertising Litigation
Inter Partes Review (IPR)
International Trade Commission (ITC) Disputes
International Trademarks
IP Strategy
IP Transactions, Agreements & Venture Capital
Litigation
Opinions & Counseling
Patent Litigation
Patent Trial & Appeal Board (PTAB) Trials (Post Grant)
Registration
Trade Secret
Trade Secret & Employee Mobility Litigation
Trade Secret & Employee Mobility Litigation
Trade Secret Protection Advice & Counseling
Trademark & Brand Protection
Trademark Enforcement
Trademark Litigation & Unfair Competition
Trademark Litigation & Unfair Competition
Trademark Registration
Trademark Trial & Appeal Board (TTAB) Disputes
Transactions
TTAB Proceedings
Unfair Competition Litigation
- Named a Southern California “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers magazine in 2020 – 2025
- Shortlisted for the 2023 Americas Women in Business Law Awards for Rising Star in IP
- California Recorder Mentor/Mentee Award Finalist (with Susan Natland) (October 2023)
International Trademark Association (INTA), Internet Committee and Evolving Technologies Subcommittee
Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA), Entertainment and IP Law Section
