Joseph H. Kim is a director in Sterne Kessler’s Trial & Appellate Practice Group, where he represents clients in high-stakes intellectual property disputes across the full spectrum of litigation venues. His practice encompasses complex patent litigation in federal district court, at the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), and before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Joe advises and advocates for clients across a broad range of technology sectors, including electronics, communications, construction equipment, consumer products, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices. His litigation experience spans both offensive and defensive postures, and he is particularly skilled at developing coordinated, multi-venue strategies that leverage the interplay between district court proceedings, the ITC, and the PTAB to maximize outcomes for clients. Joe’s experience also includes representing clients in Amazon’s internal patent challenge program, APEX, navigating that forum’s unique procedures to protect and defend client patent portfolios.
Joe’s commitment to his clients extends beyond the walls of the law firm — he has experience working in-house on secondment to develop litigation strategies on the ground, working directly alongside client teams to prepare for district court and ITC litigations. That immersive experience gives Joe a firsthand understanding of the operational pressures and strategic priorities that in-house legal teams face, and informs the practical, business-minded counsel he brings to every engagement.
Prior to joining Sterne Kessler, Joe earned his J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the North Carolina Journal of International Law and was selected as a member of the Davis Society — an honor recognizing eight third-year students for academic distinction and commitment to the law school community. Joe also holds a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, with a research focus on high heat-flux microchannel condensation heat transfer, giving him the technical foundation to handle complex patent disputes with depth and precision.
Technical Publications
- Advantages of Section 337 for Industries Affected by the 271(g) Exemption, 39 337 REP. 72 (2015).
- Flow Condensation in Parallel Micro-Channels, 55 INT’L J. HEAT & MASS TRANSFER 971 (2012).
- Catalyst Pharms. Inc. and SERB SA v. Teva Pharms. Inc. et al. (D.N.J.) (counsel for plaintiffs Catalyst and SERB in litigation concerning amifampridine, Firdapse®)
- Wirtgen America, Inc. v. Caterpillar, Inc. (D. Del.) (counsel for plaintiff Wirtgen in litigation concerning road milling machines)
- Provisur Techs., Inc. v. Weber, Inc. et al. (W.D. Mo.) (counsel for defendant Weber in litigation concerning commercial food slicing machines)
- Supernus Pharms., Inc. v. Ajanta Pharma Ltd. et al. (D.N.J.) (counsel for defendant Ajanta in litigation concerning topiramate, Trokendi®)
- Certain Non-Invasive Aesthetic Body Contouring Devices, Components Thereof & Methods of Using the Same, Inv. No. 337-TA-1219 (ITC) (counsel for complainant BTL Industries in litigation concerning non-invasive magnetic and cryolipolysis aesthetic body-contouring products)
- Gilead Scis., Inc. v. Apotex, Inc. et al. (D. Del.) (counsel for defendant Hetero in litigation concerning tenofovir alafenamide, Vemlidy®, Descovy®, Odefsey®)
- Certain Cartridges for Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems & Components Thereof, Inv. No. 337-TA-1141 (ITC) (counsel for complainant JUUL in litigation concerning cartridges for electronic nicotine delivery systems)
- Certain Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems & Components Thereof, Inv. No. 337-TA-1139 (ITC) (counsel for complainant JUUL in litigation concerning electronic nicotine delivery systems)
- Certain Road Construction Machines & Components Thereof, Inv. No. 337-TA-1088 (ITC) (counsel for respondents Wirtgen America, Wirtgen GmbH, Wirtgen Group Holding GmbH, Joseph Vogele AG in litigation concerning road construction equipment)
- Certain Road Milling Machines & Components Thereof, Inv. No. 337-TA-1067 (ITC) (counsel for complainant Wirtgen America in litigation concerning road milling machines)
- Securus Techs., Inc. v. Global Tel*Link Corp. (N.D. Tex.) (counsel for defendant GTL in litigation concerning specialized telephone call-processing and billing equipment and services)
- J.D., University of North Carolina School of Law
- M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University
- B.S., Mechanical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University
- District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- Virginia
- Korean