Dr. Kate McElhone’s practice is focused on the preparation and prosecution of U.S. and international patent applications in the areas of pharmaceuticals, animal health, agrochemicals, and biotechnology. She also assists in pharmaceutical patent litigation matters, with an emphasis on cases brought under the Hatch-Waxman Act. In that capacity, she has been involved with developing invalidity case theories, locating and working with technical expert witnesses, and drafting motions, claim construction briefs, expert reports, and invalidity contentions.
Prior to joining Morrison & Foerster, Dr. McElhone served as a law clerk to the Honorable Jeffrey T. Miller of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. She was awarded her J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of San Diego School of Law in 2008. During her law school years, Dr. McElhone also served as a patent agent with Johnson & Johnson in San Diego. Before law school, Dr. McElhone performed medicinal chemist research at Bristol-Myers Squibb, targeting therapeutics for Alzheimer’s disease, depression, and psoriasis. She received her A.B. in Chemistry from Duke University and a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, where her research focused on the total synthesis of biologically active marine natural products.
Dr. McElhone is a member of the State Bar of California and is registered to practice before the United States Patent & Trademark Office. She is also a member of the American Intellectual Property Association, the San Diego Intellectual Property Association, the American Bar Association, and the American Chemical Society.