Alan Koenck
Professional Experience
Alan has built a trusted reputation with clients in patent prosecution and portfolio management in a wide variety of technological fields since he joined Kinney & Lange in 1996. He first came to the firm as a law clerk after serving as a patent assistant in the legal department of Norand Corporation, a manufacturer of portable data collection and wireless communication devices and systems. Alan became a shareholder with the firm in 2004. His technology experience includes analog circuit design, automotive systems, computer software applications, electronic and electromechanical systems, medical devices, optical, printing, semiconductor fabrication processes, wireless communications, and a wide variety of other technological fields.
Alan’s practice is primarily focused on patent prosecution and related portfolio management and client counseling. This includes third-party opinions, patentability and infringement matters and educational client and legal presentations. He oversees Kinney & Lange’s patent practice through individual mentoring and institutional process improvement and management. He is admitted to practice in state and federal courts as well as the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and Canadian Intellectual Property Office. He also advises clients on licensing potential, copyrights and trade secrets protection.
Alan is a frequent presenter on topics related to intellectual property law and practice, and has served as a member of the planning committee of the Midwest Intellectual Property Institute since 2005. He was also named a Rising Star by Minnesota Law and Politics magazine in 2002, 2003 and 2006. In his spare time, Alan enjoys sports of all kinds, including golf, tennis, and basketball.
Education
- University of Iowa Law School, Iowa City, Iowa
- Juris Doctor, with high distinction, May 1996
Order of Coif - West Publishing Company Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement
- Vice President of Students’ Intellectual Property Law Society
- Member of Journal of Corporation Law
- Juris Doctor, with high distinction, May 1996
- Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
- Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering, May 1993
Dean’s List - Eta Kappa Nu Electrical Engineering Honor Society
- Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering, May 1993
Bar Admissions
- United States Patent and Trademark Office
- Canada Intellectual Property Office
- Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- Supreme Court of the State of Minnesota
- United States District Court for the District of Minnesota
Publications
- Patent Freedom to Operate Searches, Opinions, Techniques, and Studies, (ABA, 2017), co-author
- Published author in The IP Book published by Minnesota CLE and in Intellectual Property Today magazine
- Overview of Intellectual Property for Business Lawyers, Kinney & Lange, P.A. (annual)
- Intellectual Property Law for Business Lawyers, Kinney & Lange, P.A. (annual)
Community Involvement
- Planning Committee, Midwest IP Institute (Minnesota CLE)
Selected Presentations
- Regular speaker at Minnesota CLE presentations on patent law and at Kinney & Lange’s Intellectual Property for Business Lawyers seminar
- “7 Strategies for Drafting Patents in Light of the AIA and IPR Trends” (co-presenter) 2015 Midwest IP Institute.
- “Conversational Patent: 20 Phrases You Need to Know” (co-presenter) 2011 Midwest IP Institute.
- “Prosecuting Patent Applications to Overcome the Pro-Rejection Pattern at the PTO” 2009 Midwest IP Institute.