Kate McMorrow represents a wide range of clients in all aspects of protecting and enforcing their intellectual property. Her practice focuses on brand protection and enforcement, from domestic and international trademark selection and searches, prosecution, and procurement to advising clients on intellectual property issues associated with branding guidelines, press releases, and social media marketing. She also regularly handles intellectual property due diligence associated with mergers and acquisitions and advises clients on intellectual property licenses, assignments, and development, distribution, promotion, and marketing agreements.
Kate also has extensive experience litigating trademark, trade dress, domain name, 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 regularly 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 both mediations and settlements. She has drafted numerous case-ending pre-trial motions and was also on a team that obtained a change in law at the U.S. Supreme Court.
Prior to joining Knobbe Martens, Kate was a managing associate at one of the largest international law firms as well as an associate 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, as well as 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
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
Media, Advertising & Entertainment
Actors
Artists
Athletes
Digital Distribution
Film & Television
Literary Works
Mobile Applications
Music
Musical Instruments and Accessories
Online Games
Publishing
Social Media
Studios
Video Games and Interactive Entertainment
Writers
Medical Devices & Procedures
Balloons
Dental Devices
Dermatology & Aesthetics
Diagnostics
Drug Eluting & Drug Delivery Devices
Mental Health & Wellness
Orthopedics
Surgical Equipment
Wound Care
Pharmaceuticals
Diagnostic Tools
Research Tools & Reagents
Transportation & Vehicles
Electronics (Audio / Video, Communication, Navigation, Security)
Advertising
Appellate Litigation
Assignments and Licenses
Audits
Brand Portfolio Management
Brand Search
Copyright
Copyright Litigation
Copyright Litigation
Due Diligence
False Advertising Litigation
False Advertising Litigation
Inter Partes Review (IPR)
International Trademarks
IP Strategy
IP Transactions and Agreements
ITC Litigation
Licensing
Litigation
Opinions and Counseling
Opinions and Counseling Relating to FTC and FDA Regulations
Opinions Counseling
Patent Litigation
Patent Trial & Appeal Board (PTAB) Litigation
Post-Grant
Registration
Tech Transactions
Trade Secret
Trade Secret & Employee Mobility Litigation
Trade Secret & Employee Mobility Litigation
Trade Secret Protection Advice, Counseling, Employee & Nondisclosure Agreements
Trademark & Brand Protection
Trademark and Brand Protection Litigation
Trademark and Brand Protection Litigation
Trademark Enforcement
Trademark Registration
Trademark Trial & Appeal Board (TTAB) Litigation
Transactions
TTAB Proceedings
Unfair Competition Litigation
Unfair Competition Litigation
- Named a Southern California “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers magazine in 2020 – 2023
- Shortlisted for the 2023 Americas Women in Business Law Awards for Rising Star in IP
Phi Beta Kappa Academic Honor Society
