Professional Experience
Kristin Graham Noel is a partner in the Intellectual Property group and a member of the Firm's IP Litigation Core Team. Ms. Noel focuses her practice primarily on patent, trade secret, and licensing disputes. Ms. Noel’s experience includes:
- Representation of pharmaceutical company sued by multiple entities in patent dispute over client’s most important drug discovery. Obtained judgment of no liability and invalidating all asserted patent claims.
- Representation of major international seller of wireless computer networking products against three corporate members of a patent pool, each of which claimed having patents essential to the IEEE 802.11 Standard. The plaintiffs accused hundreds of the defendant’s products of infringement, seeking tens of millions in past damages alone. Obtained summary judgment of non-infringement on all asserted claims.
- Representation of major technology transfer institution in enforcement of patent license agreement with pharmaceutical company. Obtained jury verdict in favor of client. Court of Appeals not only affirmed judgment in favor of client, but further ordered that judgment be entered giving client title to related intellectual property.
- Representation of plastic injection mold maker sued by competitor for patent infringement and violation of Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Obtained summary judgment.
- Representation of vaccine manufacturer in contract dispute. Obtained jury verdict of no liability against client and $1.9 million judgment on client’s counterclaims.
- Representation of client appealing cancellation of trademark. Obtained summary judgment reversal of TTAB decision and dismissal of defendant’s counterclaims for infringement of defendant’s trademark.
- Representation of appellee-patent owner before Federal Circuit, successfully challenging jurisdiction.
- Representation of a software company in a trade secret misappropriation suit. Obtained judgment dismissing trade secret claims against client.
- Representation of a bicycle designer and distributor in a patent infringement suit. Obtained judgment of non-infringement for client.
- Representation of a software company in a lawsuit invoking a most favored nation provision in a patent license agreement. Obtained a judgment invoking provision in favor of client and awarding client its attorneys’ fees.
- Representation of plastic injection mold manufacturer in patent infringement case. Obtained judgment of infringement for client against one of the nation’s largest manufacturers of appliances.
- Representation of an accused patent infringer in a declaratory judgment action asserting invalidity of the software patent at issue. Obtained settlement of matter without payment of any compensation based on prior art found prior to the filing of declaratory judgment action.
- Representation of manufacturer of electric turbine silencer equipment in trade secret case. Obtained consent judgment in favor of manufacturer barring use by other party of trade secret information and materials owned by manufacturer.
- Representation of employer against former managerial employees. Obtained injunctive relief in favor of client.
- Representation of employer in action against former executive employee. Obtained favorable monetary settlement in favor of client.
- Representation of technology transfer institution in defense of suit by purported inventor. Obtained summary judgment in favor of client.
- Representation of various companies threatened with patent infringement by and/or sued by non-practicing entities (“patent trolls”).
Education and Honors
- Northwestern University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1996)
- Northwestern University (B.A., high honors, 1993)
Phi Beta Kappa.
Bar Admissions
Wisconsin,
1999
Illinois,
1996
Court Admissions
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit
U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
Professional Recognition
Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America.
Named one of Madison's “40 under 40” by In Business magazine (2005).
Selected for inclusion in the 2009-2011
Wisconsin Super Lawyers® lists (Intellectual Property Litigation).
Professional and Civic Activities
- American Bar Association (Member).
- State Bar of Wisconsin (Member).
- Seventh Circuit Bar Association (Member).
- American Intellectual Property Law Association (Member).
- The Noel Compass Foundation (Former Board Member).
- Nyumbani Village International, Inc. (Former Board Member).
- Madison Symphony Orchestra, Symphony With a Twist Committee (Founding Member).
- Leadership Greater Madison (Former Member).
Ms. Noel has actively participated in Firm affairs, including as a contributing member of the IP Litigation Core Team, and IP Litigation Client Development Committee, and previously as Vice Chair of the Firm’s Billing Committee, Hiring Partner for the Madison Office, Chair of the Madison Recruiting Committee, Chair of the Madison Summer Associate Committee, and Member of the Madison Client Development Committee.