Biography

Dr. C. Leon Kim is the President and Founder of FirstLaw P.C.

Recognized as the “first international patent attorney” of Korea, Dr. Kim is the first generation of Korean patent attorneys licensed to practice IP law before both the KIPO and the USPTO, possessing technical knowledge, legal expertise and corporate experience gained through practice in the U.S. and Korea.

Owing to his inexhaustible zeal for his profession and his holistic approach to the client’s business agenda, Dr. Kim has established a reputation of being one of the most highly regarded IP practitioners in Korea. In particular, he is unrivaled in providing strategic advice to clients across the globe to ensure success in every phase of their technology development, IP portfolio management, and related business endeavors. Dr. Kim has successfully represented numerous multinational corporations across all technologies, including patent infringement and invalidation cases for 3M (adhesive composition and optical fiber connectors), Microsoft (software), F. Hoffmann-La Roche (bioengineering), and ExxonMobil (petrochemicals).

Prior to founding FirstLaw P.C., Dr. Kim served as vice-president and legal counsel for a major Korean conglomerate, as well as patent counsel for ExxonMobil. He also represented the Korean government during the Uruguay Round negotiations in connection with the TRIPS Agreement, and has frequently given lectures at various institutions, including MAS in IP at ETH Zurich and University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law. Dr. Kim continues to guide the Firm with an uncompromising approach to professional excellence while maintaining the utmost ethical standards.

Profile

• Bar Admissions
  • ·New York State Bar (1989)
  • · Korean Patent Bar (1987)
  • · New Jersey State Bar (1975)
  • · U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (1975)
• Education
  • ·State University of New York at Buffalo, Law School (J.D., 1975)
  • · Member of the Board of the Buffalo Law Review (1973-1975)
  • · University of Rochester, Department of Chemical Engineering (Ph.D., 1972)
  • · Seoul National University, Department of Chemical Engineering (B.S., 1965)
• Experience
  • ·FirstLaw P.C. (1988 - present)
  • · Legal Counsel, Daewoo America, Inc. (1985-1987)
  • · Legal Counsel & Executive Vice President, Daewoo Electronics Co., Ltd. (1983-1985)
  • · Legal Counsel & Executive Managing Director, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Heavy Machinery Ltd. (1978-1982)
  • · Patent Attorney, Exxon Chemical Co., New Jersey (1975-1978)
• Professional Activities
  • ·Korea Patent Attorney Association (KPAA)
  • · New York State Bar Association
  • · New Jersey State Bar Association
  • · International Trademark Association (INTA)
• Languages
  • ·Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese
• Publications
  • ·Abuse of Patent Right in Korea (in Japanese) (IPM, 2006)
  • · A Comparative Analysis of the Japanese Supreme Court Decision on Doctrine of Equivalents (IPQ, 2002)
  • · Transition from Central to Peripheral Definition Patent Claim Interpretation System in Korea (JPTOS, 1995)
  • · Enforcement Proceedings of Patent Rights in Korea (JPTOS, 1993)
  • · The Utility Requirement for Patenting Therapeutic Inventions (1975)
  • · Recent and Future Developments in the International Transfer of Technology (1975)