Kathi Vidal

Kathi Vidal is a senior IP and technology law leader and partner at Winston & Strawn, based in Washington, DC and Silicon Valley, and former under secretary of commerce for intellectual property and director of the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). 

Vidal began her career working in the areas of artificial intelligence (AI), software engineering and circuitry before transitioning into law, where she built a distinguished litigation career spanning over two decades, including leadership roles at Fish & Richardson and Winston & Strawn.

During her tenure as USPTO director, Vidal oversaw a major federal agency responsible for innovation policy, patent and trademark examination, and international IP coordination. In that role, she focused on AI policy, patent system modernisation, and expanding access to the innovation ecosystem. 

Prior to and following her government service, she has represented clients in complex patent and trade secret litigation across federal courts, the International Trade Commission, and appellate courts, with experience covering software, electronics, AI, and high-technology industries.

Vidal is widely recognised as a global thought leader in IP and AI governance, frequently speaking at international forums on innovation, technology policy, and the future of IP systems. 

She has received extensive recognition for her work in patent litigation and innovation leadership, and has been involved in numerous initiatives aimed at expanding diversity in the STEM and legal professions, including mentoring programmes and national innovation policy efforts. Her efforts include serving as a founding champion of ‘Journey to Lead’, a nonprofit aimed at accelerating the diversity and trajectory of women in leadership, and founding the ChIPs USPTO chapter.