McKee, Voorhees & Sease, PLC

Curious about how coffee shops, coffee roasters, and other food & beverage companies can protect their unique brand elements in a crowded market? Check out this blog post by McKee, Voorhees & Sease, PLC intellectual property attorney Sarah Luth on the importance of "secondary" intellectual property in building a strong brand identity, brand loyalty, and enhancing customer experience: https://lnkd.in/g9bBBKXc #intellectualproperty #trademark #copyright #patent #designpatent #coffee

The first day of fall (September 22) is almost upon us! When you think about fall, one of the first things that comes to mind is seasonal drinks and hot coffee. Coffee drinking dates back to the 15th century in Ethiopia and Yemen. Humans started drinking coffee for a number of reasons, one of which is the energy provided by the caffeine in coffee. However, not everyone can tolerate its stimulating effects. Thus, decaffeinated coffee is a blessing for those who crave the flavor but seek to limit their caffeine intake. Learn more about the interesting (patented) processes for coffee decaffeination in a blog post written by McKee, Voorhees & Sease, PLC patent agent Brian D. Keppler by following the link below: https://lnkd.in/g2AzJKZe

Thank you to the hundreds of clients, colleagues, and friends who attended our Open House last night celebrating 100 years of operation! From our beginning in 1924 as a two-person firm in downtown Des Moines to 100 years later in 2024, protecting client innovations in 160 countries, McKee, Voorhees & Sease, PLC is proud to be Iowa's oldest and largest boutique intellectual property law firm. (Pictured: Heidi Nebel, Luke Mohrhauser, Kevin Kercher, Michael Gilchrist, Brian D. Keppler, Joseph Hallman, Martha Lebron-Dykeman, Shireen K. Bhatia, Esq., Angie Schuster, and many others!)

As our firm celebrates 100 years, McKee, Voorhees & Sease, PLC attorneys Ed Sease and Heidi Nebel discuss the firm's legacy, practicing together, and building the quality law firm of MVS.

Heidi Nebel discusses her insider’s perspective of the oral arguments, outcome, and impact of the seminal U.S. Supreme Court case J.E.M. Ag Supply, Inc., v. Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., which that held that utility patents are properly available for plant varieties and was argued by her father (and McKee, Voorhees & Sease, PLC named partner) Ed Sease. Read Heidi’s full article on the Filewrapper blog by clicking the link below: https://lnkd.in/gK_bKuHM

McKee, Voorhees & Sease, PLC patent attorney Jill Link (Flaherty) is a panelist today at the University of Missouri-Columbia's event Pathways Presents: Beyond the Bench. Jill will be participating in a career pathways panel, discussing her career path in intellectual property and showcasing options beyond the traditional academic research career for undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral scholars. Jill is part of the Biotechnology/Chemical Practice Group as well as the Licensing Practice Group. Jill’s practice includes all areas of intellectual property, with an emphasis on drafting and prosecuting patent applications. Jill has depth of experience in preparation and filing of U.S. patent applications in the chemical and life sciences areas, and her practice extends to U.S. and international patent management.

McKee, Voorhees & Sease, PLC is proud to be a supporting sponsor of the Des Moines Business Record's Made in Iowa: Manufacturing Forecast event happening tomorrow, September 10 at 11:30 AM. Attorney Luke Mohrhauser will provide opening remarks and will be co-presenting as a panelist for the event, which will discuss how manufacturing and Iowa’s economy are faring and look ahead to 2025. Luke is the Managing Partner of MVS and Chair of the Firm’s Mechanical-Electrical Practice Group. If you haven't done so already, you can still register for this virtual event!

Cassie Edgar is speaking today at the Power of Connection Women Series Event - Inspiring Women in Business event, facilitated by Jennifer Scheck and hosted at Syverson Strege in West Des Moines, IA. Cassie will speak to approximately 100 guests about her career path from scientist to in house lawyer and executive, to partner in private practice. Other panelists include Dr. Rachelle (Karstens) Keck, President at Grandview University and Rena Striegel, President at Transition Point and the DIRTT Project.

The 2024 NFL regular season kicks off this weekend. If you’re a Kansas City Chiefs fan hoping for back-to-back-to-back Super Bowl victories, get ready to pay a Basketball Hall of Fame coach when buying any hats or shirts using the phrase “THREEPEAT.” In 1989, Los Angeles Lakers coach Pat Riley registered “THREE-PEAT” as a trademark (Reg. No. 1552980). At the time, the Lakers had won NBA championships in 1987 and in 1988 and Riley saw an opportunity. The Lakers didn’t win a third consecutive NBA championship in 1989, but the Chicago Bulls did in 1993, and Riles & Co. (Pat Riley’s business) collected royalties from sports apparel makers who licensed the phrase for use on merchandise commemorating the rare accomplishment. Over the past 30 years, Riley has obtained additional trademarks covering variations of the phrase, such as “THREEPEAT,” “THREE PEAT,” and “3 PEAT.” Riles & Co. made money from the trademark(s) when the Chicago Bulls won NBA championships (1991-1993 and 1996-1998), when the New York Yankees won three straight World Series championships (1998-2000) and when the Lakers won three straight NBA championships (2000-2002). Pat Riley may have another windfall if Andy Reid’s team plays in and wins Super Bowl LIX in 2025. The attorneys at McKee, Voorhees & Sease, PLC have helped clients with trademarks and other intellectual property legal matters since 1924. And, if you’re now wondering about the term “FOURPEAT” it hasn’t yet been trademarked. Our attorneys can help you with that. #intellectualproperty #ip #trademarks #kansascitychiefs #nfl #superbowl

Hot dogs, cold drinks, family, and friends: football season is here! Did you know that we helped make tailgating more fun? Iowan Ray Townsend transformed hot dog making in the 1960s with his Frank-a-Matic invention. While other meat packers made 500 hot dogs an hour, his machine turned out over 36,000 an hour. 80 patents over 30 years attributed to inventor Ray Townsend. Ray Townsend's patent portfolio remains a cornerstone of our firm's legacy, reflecting the expertise and dedication we bring to every project, past and present. We. Get. Innovation. #intellectualproperty #ip #footballseason #fall