701 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 200, Washington, DC USA 20004
Nicki Kennedy is Co-Leader of Kilpatrick's Chemistry and Life Sciences practice. She is a registered patent attorney who concentrates her practice on patent-related matters with a focus on client counseling, patent prosecution, domestic and international patent portfolio development and management, and post grant proceedings. Additionally, Ms. Kennedy’s practice includes invalidity, patentability, non-infringement, and freedom-to operate opinions.
Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Kennedy worked as an associate in a boutique intellectual property law firm in Northern Virginia, where she also focused on patent law. Previously, Ms. Kennedy was a patent examiner at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office where she examined patent applications in the organic chemistry field, including polymer, pharmaceutical, transdermal and cosmetic patent applications.
Prior to her experience at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Ms. Kennedy was an associate at a boutique law firm where she focused on import and export law, particularly under the Export Administration Regulations. She also gained technical experience working in a small pharmaceutical research lab.
Ms. Kennedy was recognized as a 2018 Washington, D.C. "Rising Star" for Intellectual Property by Super Lawyers magazine. In 2020, she was recommended by Legal 500 US for Patent Prosecution. In 2023, Ms. Kennedy received Casa Cornelia’s "Pro Bono Publico Award" for her outstanding pro bono contributions in seeking and obtaining asylum for the firm's client, a young boy from Afghanistan who fled to the U.S. for his life after the Taliban took control.
Experience
Counsel for patentee Celanese in five inter partes review petitions filed by competitor Daicel challenging validity of Celanese patents related to industrial acetic acid production. The Patent Trial and Appeal Board initially ruled in favor of client Celanese, completely denying all five petitions, although requests for rehearing subsequently resulted in the institution of 3 of the 5 IPRs. In June of 2016, the PTAB issued final written decisions in the three IPRs, finding for patent owner Celanese and affirming all instituted claims as not unpatentable. United States Patent and Trademark Office Patent Trial and Appeal Board, Case Numbers IPR2014-01514, IPR2014-01515, IPR2015-000170, IPR2015-00171 and IPR2015-00173.
Insights View All
Blogs
Apparel, Accessories & Luxury Goods
Chemicals: Industrial Chemistry & Materials and Material Science
Life Sciences: Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals & Bioinformatics
The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law J.D. (2008) Comparative and International Law Certificate
Randolph-Macon College B.S. (2005) Chemistry, cum laude
Colorado (2018)
District of Columbia (2017)
New Jersey (2008)
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (2011)
Jessup Cup Moot Court Competition, Volunteer Judge
University of Denver Sturm College of Law, Adjunct Professor of Law, PTAB Practice (2021 Spring Semester)
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