Bruce McKee
Bruce has been developing custom intellectual property strategies for his clients since 1962; however, his career in patent and trademark law began in 1956. After earning his degree in engineering from Iowa State University, Bruce attended American University to study law. He also worked as a USPTO patent examiner until graduating in 1959. Bruce then served as an assistant staff judge advocate at the US Air Force Logistics Command Patent Section until 1962.
Today, Bruce is one of the firm’s three named partners. He specializes in patent and trademark matters with a particular focus on international trademark issues for major corporations, medical devices, and mechanical patents.
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Michael Voorhees
Mike has been guiding inventors, researchers, business leaders and corporate counsel in the world of patent and trademark law since 1970. He currently serves as chairperson of the firm's Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Practice Group.
With a degree in mathematics from Iowa State University, Mike
specializes in working in mechanical, electrical and medical
inventions. Mike evaluates technical disclosures, performs patent
novelty searches, prepares noninfringement opinions and prepares, files and prosecutes patent and trademark applications. In addition to his patent prosecution Mike has participated in numerous intellectual property lawsuits.
Outside of MVS, Mike has taught courses on patents, trademarks,
copyrights and unfair competition at Drake University Law School.
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Edmund Sease
Ed is a trial lawyer with more than 30 years of experience litigating
intellectual property cases before judges and juries throughout the country. Ed is equally adept as an appellate lawyer and prosecutor. He has represented
clients before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and
argued before the Supreme Court of the United States in a precedent-setting case
shaping the law of utility patents for plants. Ed's clients appreciate
his skills in patent prosecution, including appeals.
Ed holds a degree in chemistry and graduated Order of the Coif from
Drake University Law School in 1967, where today he is an adjunct
professor. He has taught copyright, trademark and patent law as well as courses in intellectual property litigation. Ed has also taught at the University of Iowa College of Law.
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Mark Hansing
Mark counsels clients to devise business-oriented patent strategies. Mark specializes in prosecuting mechanical patents, electrical patents and business method patents.
Mark earned a dual degree in physics and history from Luther College. He received his juris doctorate from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1981, when he joined McKee, Voorhees & Sease.
Mark is an adjunct professor of law with his alma mater, the University of Iowa College of Law.
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Kirk Hartung
Kirk received a degree in industrial engineering from Iowa State
University and a law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law. Kirk joined McKee, Voorhees & Sease in 1982.
Clients appreciate Kirk's skills in mechanical patent prosecution and trademark prosecution. Kirk represents clients in litigation for infringement of patent rights, trademark rights, copyrights, unfair competition and trade secret misappropriation.
In addition to his practice, Kirk has written and published a number of articles and law reviews on intellectual property law. Kirk is also available for client or public presentations on intellectual property rights and remedies. Kirk holds a position on the firm's management committee. He is also a member of the advisory board for the Network of Leading Law Firms.
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Heidi Nebel
Heidi offers experience in a variety of intellectual property law areas
with particular focus on biotechnology, including agricultural biology, mammalian biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. Heidi serves as an advocate for her clients and works in close association with the United States Patent and Trademark Office examiners in interviews and biotechnology round table sessions.
With more than 15 years as a biotech specialist, Heidi prosecutes
patents in all areas of biotechnology including genetic markers,
nucleotide sequences, amino acid sequences, gene therapy, vectors and animal models. Heidi has successfully appealed to the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences to overturn patent examiner's decisions.
Heidi joined McKee, Voorhees & Sease in 1992 and today serves as the firm's chairperson of the Life Sciences Practice Group and holds a position on the firm's management committee. Heidi manages several of the firm's largest clients and guides client teams to focus on the legal needs to help those clients meet their overall business strategies. Heidi also enjoys being an advocate of biotechnology, speaking around the country on important issues in the field.
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Jeffrey Harty
Jeff received a degree in industrial engineering from Iowa State
University and worked as a computer programmer with Anderson Consulting before continuing his academic pursuits at the University of Iowa College of Law. Jeff received his law degree with high distinction in 1995, and joined McKee, Voorhees & Sease. Jeff's primary focus is representing clients in intellectual property litigation matters. Jeff also prosecutes mechanical and software and business method patents. Jeff is the firm's managing partner.
Jeff is an adjunct professor of law at Drake University Law School. Jeff has been a guest lecturer discussing copyright law at the University of Iowa College of Law.
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Christine Lebrón-Dykeman
Christine received her bachelor's degree from Smith College. She
graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law with honors in
1996, and served as a law clerk to the Honorable Robert W. Pratt, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.
Christine joined McKee, Voorhees & Sease in 2002 where her practice focuses primarily on trademark prosecution, intellectual property litigation and licensing. Christine is actively involved in the International Trademark Association (INTA), serving on the Madrid Protocol Subcommittee and gives frequent presentations to business groups such as the Licensing Executive Society (LES). Christine heads the firm's Trademark Practice Group.
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Scott Johnson
Scott's practice focuses mainly on litigation, representing both
plaintiffs and defendants. Scott also prosecutes mechanical, software and business method patents, as well as trademark and copyright applications.
Scott received a degree in aerospace engineering from Iowa State
University in 1996 and went on to Drake University Law School. Scott received his law degree with honors and began his legal career with McKee, Voorhees & Sease in 1999.
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John Goodhue
John received a degree in computer engineering from Rose-Hulman
Institute of Technology in 1996 and continued his post-graduate study at Iowa State University. John received his law degree from Drake University Law School in 2000 and then joined McKee, Voorhees & Sease.
John has authored various articles and co-authored the ABA published book, "The Lawyer's Guide to Creating Persuasive Computer Presentations."
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Steven Smith
Steve focuses his practice on intellectual property licensing;
intellectual property provisions in mergers and acquisitions; and
collaboration, product placement, confidentiality and software
development agreements. Steve counsels his clients on domain name disputes and false and misleading advertising issues.
Steve earned a degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Northern Iowa and his law degree from Indiana University of Law-Bloomington, where he continues to serve on the school's Intellectual Property Advisory Team. He is also a member of the Licensing Executive Society (LES) where he is the chair-elect for the Digital Content Media Subcommittee of the High Technology Industry Sector. Steve joined McKee, Voorhees & Sease in 2003 and currently serves as the chairperson of the firm's Licensing Practice Group.
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Michael Gilchrist
Mike manages mechanical patent prosecution matters for his clients. Practicing since 1995, Mike’s varied experience uniquely qualifies him having worked both within private practice and as in-house counsel to a Fortune 500 financial company before joining MVS.
Mike is a past president of the Iowa Intellectual Property Law Association and a chair of the Intellectual Property Section of the Iowa State Bar Association. He is a frequent speaker on patent issues in the financial services industry and on open source software.
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Robert Hodgson
Rob's practice focuses in the biotechnology area including utility
patents, plant patents and germplasm. Rob attended the University of Iowa receiving his degree in biochemistry in 2000 and his law degree in 2003 when he joined McKee, Voorhees & Sease. Rob is an adjunct professor at the University of Iowa College of Law.
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Janae Lehman Bell
Dr. Janaé Lehman Bell's practice includes U.S. and foreign patent
prosecution in the biotechnology industry.
Janaé earned her Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Her thesis focused on the identification, isolation and characterization of a novel gene in Drosophila. In graduate school Janaé studied molecular biology, microbiology, immunology, virology and cell biology. In 2004, Janaé received her law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law and joined McKee, Voorhees & Sease.
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Kurt Van Thomme
From drafting patent claims to deposing witnesses, Kurt has the capabilities to assist clients in all areas of intellectual property law. Graduating at the top of his 2005 class from Drake University Law School, Kurt also served as the Drake Law Review Articles Editor and captain of both the National and Intellectual Property Moot Court teams. He now coaches the Drake Law School AAJ Mock Trial teams in competitions.
Kurt obtained a degree in biology in 1996 and spent two years conducting graduate research before returning to law school. Kurt joined MVS as a summer associate in 2004 and then full time in 2005.
He is a skilled speaker and author and the primary founder behind the MVS Blawg, www.filewrapper.com.
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Janet Phipps Burkhead
Janet's practice focuses mainly in Intellectual Property litigation and licensing. Janet graduated with a degree in Food and Nutrition - Dietetics and a Masters of Public Administration degree from Iowa State University. Janet graduated from Drake University Law School in 2005. She was a member of Drake Law School's 2003-04 National Moot Court team.
Before entering law school, Janet worked in the public sector in both
Iowa and Michigan. She is currently a Brigadier General in the Iowa
Army National Guard. Janet joined McKee, Voorhees & Sease in 2005.
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Kyle Coleman
Kyle's technical background focuses on mechanical engineering. During his academic career, he acquired expertise in the areas of optics, optical transmission spectroscopy, polymeric materials, stress analysis, composites and electro-mechanics. Additionally, he had the opportunity to work on a U.S. Department of Defense grant to develop an optical fiber sensor system to monitor in-situ the stresses experienced by high stress components within an aircraft during flight. The system also allowed for in-situ monitoring of the overall structural health of these parts during routine maintenance. Initial research efforts culminated in the issuance of a US patent covering a particular embodiment of this invention.
Exposed to the world of intellectual property law, Kyle pursued his law degree and gained in-depth legal experience as an intellectual property analyst for the University of Wyoming Intellectual Property & Technology Transfer Office. Kyle joined the firm as a technical expert in 2005 and became an associate in 2007.
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Jill Link
Jill Link received her doctorate degree in pharmacy in 2004. She continued her education at Drake University completing her law degree graduating with high honors in the spring of 2007. During her years as a law student at Drake, Jill continued to work as a hospital pharmacist while also achieving top honors including National Moot Court Team Member and Top Oralist in First Year Oral Argument C. Edwin Moore Moot Court Top Four Finalists. She is also a member of the Iowa Pharmacist Association and a coach for Drake University Law School's Moot Court Teams.
Jill has been with MVS as a legal clerk since 2006 and joined the firm as an associate in 2007. Jill’s practice focuses primarily on patent and trademark applications and other phases of intellectual property law.
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Fred Sharp
Fred received both his bachelors degree in mechanical engineering and his law degree from Michigan State University.
As an engineer and technician, Fred previously worked for Demmer Corp. as a manufacturing engineer to design a process for military vehicle assembly; and earlier as a mechanical engineering intern at W.A. Whitney where he worked to design metal fabrication equipment.
Fred joined MVS in Spring 2008.
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