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

Federal Court Admissions

United States Patent and Trademark Office, Admitted 2001
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Admitted 1997
United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, Admitted 1998
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," Missouri Lawyers Weekly, October 17, 2005

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 trying several patent cases and conducting claim construction hearings. Her patent litigation has been in a variety of areas including mechanical, biological and business method patents and in such varied subject matter as cholesterol inhibiting substances, highway roadside safety equipment, ring binder metals, automotive parts and electronic voting equipment. Recent accomplishments include a jury verdict in favor of defendants on all counts in a patent case and dismissal of all counts in a trademark/unfair competition case.

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

Before joining the firm, Ms. Hoekel served as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Ann K. Covington of the Missouri Supreme Court and worked several years at a general practice firm in litigation.

Ms. Hoekel is deeply involved in both the legal community and the St. Louis community. She is an active member of the American Bar Association on the Women’s Advocate Committee, currently serving as the co-chair of the Programming Committee. Ms. Hoekel is also a member of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, the Women Lawyers' Association of Greater St. Louis and the Intellectual Property Owners Association.

Ms. Hoekel earned the prestigious distinction of 2008 St. Louis Business Journal “40 Under 40” based on her achievements in her field and her work in the St. Louis community. She is on the board of the Webster Child Care Center (a United Way agency), and she enthusiastically promotes women throughout the area with her involvement in Senniger Powers’ Women’s Practice Development Committee.

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.

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