DALLAS – Attorney Mike McKool, founder of the national law firm of McKool Smith, has been named as a member of the Advisory Board for the Patent Case Management Judicial Guide. The Guide is a project of the Federal Judicial Center, a research and education agency established by Congress in 1967 to promote improvements in judicial administration for all federal courts in the United States.
Mr. McKool joins a select group of distinguished federal judges, practicing attorneys and academicians on the advisory board, which will refine the specific case management recommendations for a publication scheduled for early 2009. The Patent Case Management Judicial Guide is intended to provide judges, federal prosecutors and outside legal counsel with recommendations and details on the distinctive procedures and practices of patent cases.
Mr. McKool notes that judges in some districts have partially codified their guidelines in the form of local rules, standing orders and jury instructions but there may be inconsistencies in these practices. Additionally, patent litigation often involves sophisticated technology, difficult discovery issues, extensive use of experts and other factors that increase the challenges of patent case management.
“The number and complexity of patent cases continues to grow across the country, but much of the experience in managing this litigation is isolated in a small number of federal jurisdictions,” says Mr. McKool. “I’m honored to be a part of this board and this project.”
During his legal career of more than 30 years, Mr. McKool has built a reputation for rigorous trial preparation and superlative trial skills. He is consistently listed in the Best Lawyers in America, and has been recognized as one of D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas” four different times. Last year, local attorneys and judges named him as one of the top 15 business litigation attorneys in North Texas, and Texas Lawyer newspaper named him as one of only five “Go-To” civil litigation attorneys in the state.
Other practicing attorneys joining Mr. McKool on the advisory board are:
- Kenneth R. Adamo of Jones Day, Cleveland
- Morgan Chu of Irell & Manella, Los Angeles
- John M. Desmarais of Kirkland & Ellis, New York
- William F. Lee of WilmerHale, Boston
- Mark Lemley of Keker & Van Nest, San Francisco
- Roderick McKelvie of Covington & Burling, Washington, D.C.
- George Pappas of Covington & Burling, Washington, D.C.
Judicial advisors on the board are scheduled to include federal court judges from California, Texas, Massachusetts, Virginia, Delaware, Illinois and New York.
McKool Smith has more than 90 attorneys in Dallas, Austin, Marshall, New York and Washington, D.C., handling commercial and intellectual property litigation for national and international clients. The firm is recognized as one of the premier litigation law firms in the United States, having earned significant courtroom victories for clients such as American Airlines, BearingPoint, Ericsson, Electronic Data Systems, Lockheed Martin, Medtronic Inc., and Sony Ericsson.
For more information, please contact Bruce Vincent at 800.559.4534 or bruce@androvett.com.