International law firm McDermott Will & Emery announced today that leading Intellectual Property litigator, L. Kieran Kieckhefer, has joined the Firm’s Silicon Valley office as a partner. Ms. Kieckhefer adds strong trial experience to McDermott’s highly-ranked Intellectual Property Litigation practice.

“We are very happy that Kieren chose to join our Silicon Valley Intellectual Property Litigation Group,” said Daniel E. Alberti, partner-in-charge of the Firm’s Silicon Valley office. “With her trial experience, and litigation management background, Kieren will play a key role in representing McDermott’s IP litigation clients.”

Prior to joining McDermott, Ms. Kieckhefer practiced at another global law firm where she participated in numerous trials. She took part in all phases of proceedings, including direct and cross examinations of expert witnesses.

“Kieran is a very strong intellectual property litigator and it is our great pleasure to welcome her to the Firm,” said Sarah Chapin Columbia, partner and head of McDermott’s Intellectual Property Litigation Practice Group. “She is extremely skilled at legal trial strategy and has a great command of many of the most important consumer and business technologies in use today. She offers our clients support and guidance at every level.”

After receiving her B.S. in Mathematics from MIT, Ms. Kieckhefer consulted for Internet start-up companies in San Francisco and the Boston area. Ms. Kieckhefer then went on to earn her J.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School and is now admitted to practice in both Wisconsin and California. At her prior firm, Ms. Kieckhefer participated in a four-month secondment with the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office where she served as first chair on a number of matters.

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