Jennifer Elizabeth Hoekel

Jennifer Elizabeth Hoekel is a seasoned intellectual property litigator and Partner at Husch Blackwell, where she has practiced since October 2019. Her practice encompasses a broad spectrum of patent disputes, representing both plaintiffs and defendants in federal courts, before the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). She frequently handles cases involving mechanical devices, power equipment, and manufacturing technologies, as evidenced by her significant involvement in disputes such as Champion Power Equipment Inc. v. Harbor Freight Tools USA, Inc. and Champion Power Equipment Inc. v. Generac Power Systems Inc.. Her technical background in biology also informs her work, including cases involving biotechnological inventions.

Ms. Hoekel demonstrates a balanced practice, having appeared as counsel in 11 plaintiff-side cases and 5 defendant-side cases, including serving as lead counsel for a defendant. She has a strong track record in high-stakes litigation, securing a multimillion-dollar jury verdict for patent infringement concerning trace detection equipment and invalidating a landscaping patent for a global manufacturer after a jury trial. Her experience extends to the appellate level, where she has argued before the Federal Circuit.

A notable aspect of Ms. Hoekel's practice is her experience with post-grant proceedings. She regularly navigates inter partes review (IPR) proceedings before the PTAB, achieving a high-profile victory for a wireless company by eliminating 175 patent claims across eight IPR petitions. This outcome resulted in a precedential PTAB decision regarding discretionary denial of IPR under the Fintiv factors. She also manages oppositions and cancellations before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB).

Ms. Hoekel earned her J.D. from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, where she was an Articles Editor for the Washington University Law Quarterly, and holds a B.S. in Biology from Truman State University. She is admitted to practice in Missouri, Illinois, and Nevada, as well as before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.