Kathleen Cooney-Porter is a Senior Legal Advisor to the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Ms. Cooney-Porter advises the Director and other senior leaders on a wide variety of topics, specializing in trademark policy issues. She has practiced intellectual property (IP) law for almost 30 years. Prior to joining the USPTO, Ms. Cooney-Porter was a Partner at Maier & Maier, advising clients on how to enhance, secure, leverage, and enforce their marks and brand portfolio.
From 2018 to 2020, Ms. Cooney-Porter served as a Senior Trademark Advisor to the Director. While in this role, she participated in the Director’s external and internal meetings, ensuring the Director's views were communicated accurately, consistently, and professionally. She also partnered with USPTO business units to ensure the Director’s vision and goals were considered when creating and implementing trademark programs and policies. She built alliances and consensus by sharing knowledge and responding to, addressing, and elevating high-level concerns.
Prior to 2018, Ms. Cooney-Porter was a Principal at Muncy, Geissler, Olds & Lowe, P.C., advising clients on how to enhance, secure, leverage and enforce their trademarks and IP portfolios. As a Managing Partner at Oblon, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C., she managed the trademark and copyright practice groups and represented clients before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. During her tenure in private practice, Ms. Cooney-Porter served a three-year term as an appointee to the USPTO’s Trademark Public Advisory Committee, advising the Director on matters relating to trademark policies, goals, performance, budget and user fees.
Ms. Cooney-Porter was also a Trademark Examining Attorney from 1989 to 1997. She has a Bachelor of Arts from Vanderbilt University and a Juris Doctor from the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law. She resides in McLean, Virginia, with her husband and twin daughters.