Katherine Vidal testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee during her confirmation hearing to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, on Wednesday, December 1, 2021. Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi/ALM

It was smooth sailing Wednesday for Federal Circuit nominee Leonard Stark and PTO director nominee Katherine Vidal before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Stark, presently a federal district judge in Delaware, and Vidal, the managing partner of Winston & Strawn's Silicon Valley office, are poised to help shape U.S. intellectual property law if confirmed to their new roles. That seemed likely Wednesday as each drew glowing reviews from Democratic members of the committee and no extended hostile questioning from Republicans.