Michael K. Kirschner  
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Profile

I am a patent attorney and a trial lawyer.  I represent businesses that have an interest in creating and asserting their own patent rights, who want to make sure that they do not improperly infringe upon the valid and enforceable patent rights of others, who need an analysis of patent estates, or who want to in- or out-license patent rights.  Before joining Hillis Clark, I worked for 10 years as a trial attorney in the U.S. Navy and at the Washington, D.C. firm of Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner.  Thereafter, I joined Immunex Corporation and was in charge of its patent department.  One of my primary responsibilities was to handle the complex patent, licensing, and litigation strategies surrounding Enbrel^® (etanercept), the blockbuster drug created by Immunex.   After Amgen acquired Immunex, I remained in charge of Amgen's Seattle law office and continued to be primarily responsible for Enbrel matters.  During my time at Immunex and Amgen, I was on the Board of Directors for the Intellectual Property Owners Association.  Although the significant part of my practice is with biotechnology companies, my practice has also encompassed the pharmaceutical, chemical, mechanical and electrical technologies. I am a certified neutral for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.

Professional Highlights

• Representative clients include ZymoGenetics and Aequus Biopharma.

• Co-counsel, ICOS Shareholder Litigation, 2006-2007.

• Amgen Corporation, head of intellectual property group in Seattle, 2002-04.

• Immunex Corporation, Vice President, Intellectual Property, 2000-2002; head of intellectual property, 1998-2002.

• Immunex Corporation, director of patent litigation, 1997-1998.

• Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, 1991-97, patent litigation.

• Registered with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, 1991.

• Cades, Schutte, Fleming & Wright, Honolulu, Hawaii, 1990-91, civil litigation.

• JAG Corps officer, U.S. Naval Reserves, 1985-89; Head Prosecuting Attorney, Naval District Washington (D.C.), 1987-88; Law clerk for the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Military Review, 1989.

• Chair, Legal Affairs Committee, Washington State Patent Law Association, 2007-08.

• Vice Chair, Patent Law (U.S.) Committee, Intellectual Property Owners Association, 2008.

• Lead Attorney on first amicus curiae brief filed by the Washington State Patent Law Association, filed in the case In Re Seagate Technology, L.L.C., at the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, 2007.

• AIPLA Special Committee To Study the National Research Council's Report on Reaping the Benefits of Genomic and Proteomic Research, 2006.

• Intellectual Property Owners Association, Board of Directors 2000-2005; Executive Committee, 2004; Co-chair, 2002 IPO Annual Meeting Program Committee; Amicus Brief Committee, 2002-05; Board Liaison, Patent Law Committee, 2003-05; Member, Patent Law Committee, 2005-present.

• Member, AIPLA Task Force on patent quality, 2002.

• Active member, bar of the State of Washington and the District of Columbia; inactive member of the bar of the State of Hawaii.

• Admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, United States Patent and Trademark Office, United States District Courts for the Western District of Washington and District of Hawaii, Supreme Courts, States of Washington and Hawaii, and the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.

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Professional and Community Activities

American Bar Association; Intellectual Property Law Section, Litigation Section.

American Intellectual Property Law Association; Biotechnology Committee, Patent Litigation Committee, ADR Committee.

The Association of Corporate Patent Counsel.

Federal Circuit Bar Association.

Washington State Bar Association.

Washington State Patent Law Association.

King County Bar Association.

Trustee, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Alaska, Montana, Northern Idaho & Washington, 2004-present.

Member, National Make-A-Wish Chapter Structure Task Force, 2006-present.

Trustee, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Western Washington and Alaska, 2008.

Education

University of Utah College of Law, J.D., 1985, Order of the Coif, Utah Law Review.

Carleton College, B.A. (Biology), magna cum laude, 1981, Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi.

Outside Interests

Golf, skiing, history.

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