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Kevin M. Kercher

Kevin has a background in both corporate and law firm environments with experience in all aspects of intellectual property, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, agreements, government contracts, due diligence, unfair competition, patent and trademark portfolio management, and trade secrets. He has significant technical experience that includes, preparing and prosecuting patent applications comprised of complex computer software and hardware, electronic, electromechanical, mechanical, and chemical arts applications. In addition, he has extensive expertise in copyright, trademark, and trade secret law and prepares and negotiates a wide variety of technology agreements, including licensing and joint development agreements and government contracts. He has traveled extensively in the U.S. and worldwide through his intellectual property work, including China, Germany, England, Japan, Scotland, Denmark, and Malaysia.

Kevin represents clients in matters before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, including oral arguments with patent examiners and successful reversal rejections through the appeals process.

In addition, he represents a client who was celebrated for inventing a self-tuning piano on NPR and two clients who won the St. Louis Bar Association Inventor of the Year for a noninvasive glucose detector (developed global patent portfolio) and for utilizing blockchain to manage resources in a commercial building, respectively.

Kevin drafts and negotiates all types of intellectual property agreements with an emphasis on licensing. He currently chairs the St. Louis Chapter and the Blockchain and Fintech Subsector for the Licensing Executives Society.

Kevin provides detailed analysis in the areas of government contracts, due diligence, unfair competition, and trade secrets involving intellectual property and drafts noninfringement opinion letters, product clearance analysis, and patent invalidity analysis.

He has developed extensive knowledge regarding technology transfer from educational or research institutions to corporate entities. He serves as chair of the Membership Development Committee of AUTM and has made presentations in China.

Kevin has served as a mentor to college students through the Regional Business Council for many years and enjoys weightlifting, cardio workouts, pickleball, golf, tennis, theatre, and movies.

  • Chemical Patents
  • Copyright and Media Law
  • Design Patents
  • Electrical Patents
  • International
  • Licensing
  • Mechanical Patents
  • Regulatory Law
  • Software & Business Methods Patents
  • Trade Secrets
  • Trademarks
  • Academic Research and Technology Transfer
  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Agritech
  • Chemistry, Material Sciences, and Nanotechnology
  • Construction and Infrastructure
  • Consumer Products and Technology
  • Copyright, Media, Entertainment, And Branding
  • Financial Technology
  • Food and Beverage Technologies
  • Lighting
  • Medical Devices

Professional Associations

Licensing Executives Society (LES) for the USA and Canada

  • Secretary – High Technology Sector

Licensing Executives Society (LES), St. Louis Chapter

  • Current Chair
  • Current Chair – Blockchain and Fintech Subsector

AUTM, Membership Development Committee, Current Co-Chair

Missouri Bar Association

St. Louis Bar Association

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Education

University of Missouri, J.D.

University of Missouri, B.S., Industrial Engineering, cum laude with special honors

University of North Carolina at Charlotte, B.S., Electrical Engineering

University of South Carolina, Additional studies in Chemistry

Presentations

  • “Patent Strategy, Applicability & Litigation,” Association of University Technology Managers Membership Development Committee Teleconference, November 12, 2020
  • “Annual Report of Achievements, Educational and Technical Developments and Advancements,” Licensing Executives Society Fintech and Blockchain Subsector of High Tech Sector, 2020 Licensing Executives Society Annual Meeting Teleconference, October 19, 2020
  • “Annual Report of Achievements, Educational and Technical Developments and Advancements,” Licensing Executives Society Fintech and Blockchain Subsector of High Tech Sector, 2019 Licensing Executives Society Annual Meeting, Phoenix, Arizona, October 23, 2019
  • “Patent Research and Strategy,” Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, October 7, 2019
  • “Technology Transfer, Patent and Licensing Strategy and Due Diligence,” Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, November 30, 2018
  • “Open Source Software,” ITEN, St. Louis, Missouri, July 12, 2018
  • “Copyrights and Patents,” University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, April 13, 2018
  • “Technology Transfer,” 2017 Global Investment Forum – Intellectual Property & Technology Transfer, Nanjing, China, April 26, 2017
  • “Technology Transfer,” Fifth China (Shanghai) International Technology Fair – UNIDO Day, Shanghai, China, April 21, 2017
  • “Cloud Services for Healthcare Providers: Data Privacy and Security Toolkit – Transaction Risk Mitigation and Implementation Guidance for Healthcare Providers,” Licensing Executives Society-Chicago Chapter, Chicago, Illinois, March 17, 2016
  • “Translating Science into Economic Development,” St. Louis Institute of Nanoscience & Nanomedicine, St. Louis, Missouri, December 12, 2015
  • “New Developments in Patentability and Licensing Considerations,” St. Louis Institute of Nanoscience & Nanomedicine, St. Louis, Missouri, November 12, 2015
  • “Technology Transfer and Licensing Challenges,” Biomedical Engineering Society 2015 Annual Meeting, Tampa, Florida, October 8, 2015
  • “Software License Agreements,” Saab Sensis Corporation, East Syracuse, New York, June 25, 2015
  • “Translating Science into Economic Development,” St. Louis Institute of Nanoscience & Nanomedicine, St. Louis, Missouri, November 22, 2014
  • “End User License Agreements (EULA),” The Center for Emerging Technologies, St. Louis, Missouri, October 28, 2014
  • “Licensing for the Government Contractor,” St. Louis, Missouri, March 20, 2014
  • “TC Rewind 2014 – Where Two Worlds Collide: The Protection of Intellectual Property When Working in the Federal Government & Commercial Markets,” St. Louis, Missouri, June 14, 2014
  • “Software Patents, Trademarks and Copyrights,” Missouri Institute of Mental Health, St. Louis, Missouri, January 28, 2014

Publication

“Business Process Patents–Are You Prepared for Electronic Commerce?” Terralex Intellectual Property Newsletter, Sixth Ed

Bar & Court Admissions

Missouri State Bar

Illinois State Bar

United States Patent and Trademark Office

Awards & Recognition

The Best Lawyers in America®, 2021 – 2024

Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers, 2005

AUTM National Service Award with Distinction, 2017 and 2022

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