Areas of Focus

Litigation

Education

Truman State University (B.S., Biology, 1993)
Washington University in St. Louis (J.D., 1996)

Bar Information

Missouri, Admitted 1996
Illinois, Admitted 1997
United States Patent and Trademark Office, Admitted 2001
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois
United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan
United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

Published Articles

Patent Trolls: Advising Businesses in a Patent Assertion Climate

Professional Summary

Ms. Hoekel's practice is concentrated principally in intellectual property litigation, with representations involving utility patent infringement, trade secret misappropriation, trade dress and trademark infringement, trademark opposition and cancellation proceedings, unfair competition and copyright infringement.

Ms. Hoekel has been extensively involved in patent and other commercial litigation, including participation at trial proceedings, Markman hearings, depositions and all other aspects of litigation. Her patent litigation has been in a variety of areas including mechanical, biological and method patents and in such varied subject matter as highway roadside safety equipment, ring binder metals and automotive parts.

Ms. Hoekel also assists clients through the preparation of validity/invalidity and infringement opinions, counseling related to patentability and freedom-to-operate, and biotechnology and biochemical patent preparation and prosecution.

Before joining the firm, Ms. Hoekel served as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Ann K. Covington of the Missouri Supreme Court.

Ms. Hoekel received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Truman State University in 1993. While at Truman, Ms. Hoekel was a member of Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society and was on the Dean's List. Ms. Hoekel received her Juris Doctorate from Washington University in 1996, where she was Articles Editor of the Washington University Law Quarterly.

Ms. Hoekel is a member of the American Bar Association, the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, the Women Lawyers' Association of Greater St. Louis and the Intellectual Property Owners Association.