Practice Areas
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Bio
A tech-savvy litigator and business-minded advisor, Keyonn Pope helps clients navigate complex and high-stakes issues involving intellectual property, media and entertainment, and a range of commercial disputes.
Clients across multiple industries rely on Keyonn to represent their brands in bet-the-company patent and trademark litigation and to help them develop and implement the strategies that protect their key technologies, domain names, product licenses, business processes, and more. With a deep technical background as an electrical engineer for a major manufacturing company and experience performing under pressure as both a student-athlete and musician, he has a unique ability to explain complicated subjects clearly and persuasively, which has enabled him to achieve favorable results for his clients even in the most challenging circumstances. Clients value Keyonn’s outstanding communication, proactive approach, and leadership skills, which balance an engineer’s attention to detail with a competitor and performer’s focus on achieving success. Though his practice is rooted in his work as an intellectual property litigator, clients routinely turn to him for guidance and counsel on a wide range of matters.
Recognized by Bloomberg Law in 2021 as one of 40 outstanding young attorneys nationwide, Keyonn is widely respected as a trusted advisor to clients and colleagues alike, adept at building and managing teams to take on the full spectrum of commercial litigation, including contract disputes, supply chain issues, labor and employment matters, and bankruptcy and restructuring transactions.
A regular speaker on legal topics, media and entertainment, and racial equity, Keyonn also devotes significant time to civic and pro bono matters.
Keyonn is the Lead of the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Team.
Experience
Representative Engagements
- Represented defendant Box, Inc., in $270M patent infringement suit involving 12 patents relating to collaborative software and file synchronization. Prevailed on motion to transfer the case from the Eastern District of Virginia. Defeated plaintiff’s motion for preliminary injunction. Invalidated five asserted patents on a motion to dismiss. Prevailed on summary judgment of no willfulness. Prevailed on motion to strike plaintiff’s damages expert. After a two-week jury trial, the jury awarded plaintiff less than 2% of its original damages claim. Case settled on appeal Open Text S.A. v. Box, Inc., (N.D. Cal 2015).
- GroupChatter v. General Electric (E.D. Tex.; N.D. Ga.): defended GE against a portfolio of four patents related to paging of emergency personnel; successfully transferred case from Texas to Georgia, the location of GE’s business; case settled after IPR petitions filed.
- Defended Nintendo in claims involving the Wii gaming system. Motion Games v. Nintendo Co., Ltd. (E.D. Tex. 6:12-cv-00878-LED) (patent invalidated in concurrent inter partes review proceedings); Martin v. Nintendo of America, Inc. (N.D. Ill. 08 C 1398).
- Successfully represented leading health care provider in federal district court and TTAB proceedings asserting rights in its most iconic and famous trademarks. Federal court and TTAB proceedings settled following considerable litigation and a 20-hour mediation between the parties.
- Successfully defended leading health care provider in declaratory judgment action seeking cancellation of some of the client’s oldest and most famous marks. Federal court and parallel TTAB proceedings settled on the eve of protracted discovery, depositions, and motion practice.
Credentials
Education
University of Illinois College of Law, J.D., 2009
Member, National Trial Team
Editor, Saul Lefkowitz IP Moot Court
Amos Potter Scruggs Leadership Award Recipient
Southern University and A&M College, B.S.E.E., Mathematics Minor, 2004, cum laude
Completed Honors College Independent Study Thesis
Bar Admissions
Illinois
United States Supreme Court of Illinois
U.S. District Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Professional Memberships
American Intellectual Property Law Association
Economic Club of Chicago
International Trademark Association
Law360
Intellectual Property Editorial Advisory Board
National Bar Association
IP and Commercial Law Sections
Teaching Appointments
Adjunct Professor of Law, Howard University (2010-2012)
Honors & Awards
The Best Lawyers in America, Best Lawyers® (Trade Secrets Law, 2022-2024)
2024 Chicago Trade Secrets Law “Lawyer of the Year,” Best Lawyers®
IP Trailblazer, National Law Journal (2023)
Illinois Leading Lawyer in Arts, Entertainment & Sports Law, Commercial Litigation, Copyright & Trademark Law, and Intellectual Property Law, Law Bulletin Media Leading Lawyers (2024)
Illinois Emerging Lawyer in Commercial Litigation, Copyright & Trademark Law, Intellectual Property Law, and Patent Law, Law Bulletin Media Leading Lawyers (2021-2023)
Illinois Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters (2024)
They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40, Bloomberg Law (2021)
University of Illinois, BLSA – James Seaberry Alumni Award (2021)
Leadership Greater Chicago, Fellow (2020)
Chicago’s Notable Minorities in Law, Crain’s Chicago Business (2019, 2020)
University of Illinois College of Law Alumni Loyalty Award (2019)
Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), Fellow (2017)
Chicago Scholars “35 Under 35 Making an Impact” Honoree (2017)
Publications & Presentations
“The Future is Now: IP Enforcement Considerations in the Metaverse and Beyond,” (panelist) The Copyright Society, 2023 Winter Midwinter Meeting, Rancho Mirage, CA (February 11, 2023)
“Lawyer Limelight: Keyonn Pope,” Lawdragon (July 20, 2022)
“Technology in Patent Litigation,” (speaker) Patent Litigation 2021: Advanced Techniques & Best Practices, PLI Practising Law Institute (October 2021)
“Effective Communication Skills,” (speaker) Illinois Basic Skills for Newly Admitted Attorneys 2020, PLI Practising Law Institute (October 2020)
“Intellectual Property Topics Every Video Game Company Should Know About,” (speaker) Entertainment Software Association Webinar (June 2020)
“The New Landscape of Online Intellectual Property Enforcement: What you need to know about the new WHOIS Model,” (speaker) National Bar Association (June 2018)
“Navigating Generational Differences in the Workplace,” (speaker) Reed Smith MCLE Day, Chicago, IL (May 2019)
“Best Practices When Negotiating Data-Driven Transactions,” (speaker) Client CLE Presentation (October 2017)
“Protecting your trade secrets: Recent developments and effective strategies,” (speaker) Chicago MCLE Day (May 18, 2017)
“Revisions to N.D. California Patent Local Rules,” (author) Reed Smith Client Alerts (February 28, 2017)
Community Service
Sunshine Enterprises, Board Member
Southern University Alumni Federation, National Board Member
University of Illinois College of Law, Dean’s Advisory Council Member
The Shriver Center for Poverty Law, Former Board Member