Latham & Watkins Strengthens Bay Area IP Litigation Team with Trial Lawyer Kieran Kieckhefer

Latham & Watkins LLP has bolstered its Intellectual Property Litigation Practice with the addition of Kieran Kieckhefer as a partner in its Bay Area offices. Kieckhefer is a renowned intellectual property trial lawyer with a broad portfolio of experience in high-stakes litigation involving patents, trade secrets, copyrights, and technology-related matters.

Her expertise spans multiple technology sectors, including semiconductor manufacturing, artificial intelligence, robotics, enterprise software, and cloud computing. This diverse background positions her to address the increasingly complex disputes that arise at the intersection of technology and commerce.

The firm emphasized that Kieckhefer’s arrival strengthens its IP Litigation Practice and reinforces Latham’s reputation as a leading destination for elite technology trial talent. She has served as first-chair counsel in complex intellectual property disputes, handling patent infringement, trade secrets, employment-related claims, and Lanham Act issues in federal courts across various jurisdictions.

Latham highlighted Kieckhefer’s skill in translating highly technical subject matter into compelling trial narratives. Her approach aligns litigation strategies with clients’ broader commercial and competitive objectives, a critical capability in today’s fast-evolving technology landscape.

In addition to her trial experience, Kieckhefer possesses substantial appellate expertise, particularly before the Federal Circuit, further enhancing her ability to advocate effectively for clients at all stages of litigation.

Before joining Latham, Kieckhefer was a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in San Francisco. She holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Wisconsin Law School and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Mike Morin, Global Chair of Latham’s Intellectual Property Litigation Practice, commented on the hire: “We are thrilled to welcome Kieran to Latham. Her exceptional trial experience and technical fluency align squarely with our clients’ needs, particularly as complex disputes increasingly arise out of corporate, transactional, and competitive activity.”

Morin further noted, “Kieran exemplifies the caliber of trial lawyer we continue to attract to Latham. She brings deep intellectual property trial capabilities that complement our work across complex commercial litigation, antitrust, and transaction-driven disputes, strengthening our ability to deliver integrated, high-impact advocacy for technology clients.”

He added, “Kieran is a phenomenal addition to our team whose experience, spanning both hardware and software, will be invaluable to clients as disputes in these sectors become more complex, global, and commercially consequential. She is widely regarded as a go-to trial lawyer with the technical understanding and judgment required for bet-the-company disputes, and her arrival at Latham bolsters our leading IP litigation presence in the Bay Area and beyond.”

Kieckhefer expressed enthusiasm about joining Latham, stating, “I am delighted to join Latham’s premier IP Litigation Practice and grow my technology-focused practice on the firm’s exceptional platform, with a top-tier brand, global reach, and a truly collaborative culture. I look forward to working closely with colleagues across offices and practices to deliver solutions for clients navigating their most critical intellectual property challenges.”