Kathi Vidal

Katherine "Kathi" Kelly Vidal (born 1968)^[1] is an American intellectual property lawyer and former engineer who served as Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) from 2022 to 2024.

Kathi Vidal
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property
Incumbent
Assumed office April 19, 2022
President	Joe Biden
Preceded by	Andrei Iancu
Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office
In office April 13, 2022 – December 16, 2024
President	Joe Biden
Preceded by	Andrei Iancu
Personal details
Born	Katherine Antoinette Kelly 1968 (age 55–56) Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.
Education	Binghamton University (BS) Syracuse University (MS) University of Pennsylvania (JD)

Education

Vidal earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Binghamton University, a Master of Science in electrical engineering from Syracuse University, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.^[2][3]

Career

Vidal began her career as an engineer for General Electric and Lockheed Martin, working in the areas of artificial intelligence, software engineering, and circuitry.^[4] From 1996 to 1997, she served as a law clerk for Judge Alvin Anthony Schall of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. From 1997 to 2017, she was a litigator at Fish & Richardson. From April 2017 to April 2022, she was the Silicon Valley managing partner and patent litigator at Winston & Strawn.^[5][6]

USPTO

On October 26, 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Vidal to be the next Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).^[7] On December 1, 2021, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.^[8] On January 13, 2022, her nomination was reported out of committee by a 17–5 vote.^[9] On April 5, 2022, the United States Senate confirmed Vidal by voice vote.^[10] She was sworn in as the director of the USPTO on April 13, 2022,^[11] and was sworn in as under secretary on April 19, 2022.^[12]

On December 13, 2024, Vidal left the USPTO and rejoined the Winston & Strawn law firm.^[13][14]

References

1. "Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
2. "Kathi Vidal Floated as Possible USPTO Director Nominee". IPWatchdog.com | Patents & Patent Law. 2021-10-04. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
3. Brittain, Blake (26 October 2021). "Biden nominates Winston & Strawn partner Kathi Vidal to lead USPTO". Reuters.
4. "Kathi Vidal Nominated for USPTO Director - Intellectual Property - United States".
5. "Winston's Kathi Vidal Is Biden's Pick to Lead Patent Office". news.bloomberglaw.com. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
6. "Kathi Vidal - Patent Litigator". Winston & Strawn. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
7. "President Biden Announces Key Nominations". The White House. 26 October 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
8. "Nominations". Washington, D.C.: United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. December 1, 2021.
9. "Results of Executive Business Meeting – January 13, 2022" (PDF). US Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
10. "PN1326 — Katherine Vidal — Department of Commerce 117th Congress (2021-2022)". US Congress. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
11. "USPTO Welcomes New Director Kathi Vidal". United States Patent and Trademark Office. 2022-04-13. Retrieved 2022-04-13.
12. Raimondo, Gina [@SecRaimondo] (April 19, 2022). "Kathi Vidal's leadership & expertise will be instrumental in executing @USPTO's mission to protect & empower U.S. entrepreneurs" (Tweet). Retrieved 2022-04-25 – via Twitter.
13. "Kathi Vidal". U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
14. Kass, Dani (December 12, 2024). "Vidal Reflects On USPTO Achievements As She Leaves Office - Law360". Law 360. Retrieved December 18, 2024.