Key Kesan Dallmann

Key Kesan Dallmann, PLLC is an intellectual property law firm with a particular emphasis on patent and trademark litigation. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., with an additional presence in Vienna, Virginia, the firm describes itself as a full-service IP firm specializing in protection and enforcement for clients of all sizes, with nearly a century of combined experience among its attorneys. The firm does not appear in publicly available AmLaw or Chambers rankings, suggesting its positioning as an IP boutique rather than a BigLaw firm.

The firm's IP litigation practice demonstrates a strong focus on complex technology, encompassing areas such as cybersecurity, wireless communication technology, semiconductors, microprocessors, software, and e-commerce applications. Based on tracked appearances, Key Kesan Dallmann predominantly represents plaintiffs, with all six recorded case appearances on the plaintiff side and none on the defendant side. These matters often involve asserting patent rights for technology transfer organizations, such as Skysong Innovations, LLC, which manages the intellectual property of Arizona State University.

Notable cases include Skysong Innovations, LLC v. CrowdStrike, Inc. et al. (W.D. Tex., filed January 31, 2025) and Skysong Innovations, LLC v. Fortinet, Inc. (E.D. Tex., filed January 31, 2025). These cases assert patents related to data-driven game theoretic cyber threat mitigation and systems for automatically assigning labels to dark web discussion topics, among others. As of May 2026, the Fortinet case has a Markman hearing scheduled for May 12, 2026, with a pretrial conference in September 2026 and jury selection in November 2026. Outcomes for these recently filed cases are not yet public.

The firm maintains an active practice before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), handling inter partes reviews (IPRs) and post-grant disputes. Jay P. Kesan, a founding member, has served as lead counsel in over 45 IPRs and argued multiple times before the PTAB. In the ongoing litigation, CrowdStrike Inc. has initiated multiple IPRs against Skysong Innovations' patents, with Key Kesan Dallmann representing the patent owner.

Key partners leading the IP litigation practice include Cecil E. Key, the firm's founder and Managing Member, and Jay P. Kesan, a founding member known for his extensive experience as lead counsel in numerous patent lawsuits and IPRs. Andrew S. Dallmann, also a founding member, is a registered patent attorney with over two decades of litigation experience across diverse industries.