Kathi Vidal will rejoin Winston & Strawn’s litigation department as a partner in the firm’s Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C. offices and as a member of the executive committee after stepping down from her role as undersecretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Kathi will rejoin Winston on Dec. 16, 2024.
As director of the USPTO, Vidal has been driving and protecting United States innovation and interests in the U.S. and abroad. While leading the $4.2 billion operation with over 14,000 employees located across the 50 states and Puerto Rico, she made unprecedented progress in reshaping the USPTO for the benefit of all Americans. Serving as advisor to the president of the United States and administration on intellectual property and as a senior commerce official, Kathi worked across government on key U.S. policy relating to AI, innovation, technological standards and key international agreements and relationships, including China.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve the American public by working alongside my incredible colleagues across government and leading the thousands of talented and dedicated employees at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office,” Vidal said. “I made the decision to rejoin Winston because of its incredible team and culture which is well-positioned to handle the issues of the future. I look forward to supporting the firm’s clients with the same passion and advocacy I brought to government service.”
One of the country’s leading patent litigators, Vidal is nationally recognized for leading and trying high-profile IP disputes. Upon her return to Winston, in addition to litigating high-stakes IP disputes, she will also focus her practice on assisting clients in maintaining a leading edge in critical innovations, such as artificial intelligence and next-generation semiconductors.
“There has never been a more pivotal time for leadership in protecting advances in innovation,” Linda Coberly and Tom Melsheimer, litigation department co-chairs at Winston & Strawn, jointly said. “We are thrilled to welcome Kathi back to our world-class practice as we continue to guide our clients through the challenges and opportunities raised by generative AI, digital transformation and the disruptions that accompany major advances in technology and geopolitical pressure.”
“We could not be happier to welcome Kathi home to Winston,” Steve D’Amore, chairman of Winston & Strawn, said. “Kathi’s leadership is evident not only in her outstanding tenure at the USPTO, but in the respected IP litigation capability she built at Winston and her long-standing advocacy for inclusive innovation and opportunities for all. Her decision to rejoin Winston speaks to the high caliber of our people and a culture singularly focused on collaboration and extraordinary client service. We look forward to benefitting from Kathi’s leadership experience.”
During Vidal’s tenure at the USPTO, she co-chaired the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NACIE), creating the National Entrepreneurship Strategy. She also served as the vice chair of the Council for Inclusive Innovation (CI2), releasing the National Strategy for Inclusive Innovation. Alongside Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, she launched the Women’s Entrepreneurship (WE) initiative and founded Entrepreneurship Essentials for the Military Community and a start-up certification program to protect U.S. innovation from being offshored. Through her leadership, the USPTO has successfully influenced policies, regulations and legislation in other countries and multilaterally to support U.S. companies and innovation and to reduce barriers for global IP protection. She also worked with Congress and in the courts, including the Federal Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court, to advance clear laws that incentivize and protect U.S. innovation. She has been listed as one of the top 50 Women in AI and one of the top 50 IP leaders globally, and she has been featured in Forbes, Fortune, TechCrunch and many IP trade publications for her extensive knowledge in AI and innovation policy.
