U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director Kathi Vidal. Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi/ALMOutgoing USPTO Director Kathi Vidal: ‘We All Want the Country to Be in a Better Place’
As Vidal prepares to transition back to private practice, rejoining Winston & Strawn in Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C., the outgoing director of the USPTO spoke with The Recorder about the key challenges ahead on IP, AI and innovation.
November 22, 2024 at 07:12 PM
19 minute read
Kathi Vidal announced this month she will leave her role as the undersecretary of commerce for intellectual property and director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. As of Dec. 16, Vidal will rejoin Winston & Strawn’s litigation department as a partner and member of the executive committee.
Vidal, who was nominated by President Joe Biden in 2021 and confirmed by the Senate in 2022, presided over the USPTO’s $4.2 billion operation, with more than 14,000 employees. Winston & Strawn said Vidal will litigate high-stakes intellectual property disputes and support clients in maintaining a leading edge in critical innovations. She will split her time between the firm’s offices in Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C.
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