Alice Alexandra Kipel

Partner

• akipel@steptoe.com
• vCard
• Washington Office

Alice A. Kipel is a partner in the Washington, DC office of Steptoe & Johnson LLP, where she is a member of the International Department and Intellectual Property group.

Ms. Kipel has extensive experience in litigation before the US International Trade Commission (ITC) in actions arising under Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (unfair import practices). Cases in which she has counseled clients have involved patents, trade secrets, trademarks, trade dress, and copyrights, as well as other types of unfair competition claims, implicating products as diverse as toy dolls, medical equipment, semiconductors, and bearings. She is an active participant in bar activities in the field, frequently speaks on topics relevant to Section 337 practice, and regularly authors articles and client alerts related to Section 337. She is a past president and current member of the Executive Committee of the International Trade Commission Trial Lawyers Association. Ms. Kipel also serves on the Board of the Federal Circuit Bar Association.

A significant portion of Ms. Kipel’s professional experience has entailed appearing in appellate proceedings before the US Court of International Trade and the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, stemming from Title VII and Section 337 cases, as well as actions taken by US Customs & Border Protection. She has been counsel in some of the seminal appellate cases involving Section 337, including the first case to affirm the ITC’s authority to issue advisory opinions regarding enforcement of Section 337 exclusion orders. Ms. Kipel currently serves as the Chair of the Court of International Trade’s Advisory Committee.

Ms. Kipel has also handled a variety of matters before Customs, such as procedures to record and enforce copyrights and trademarks, penalty proceedings, settlement of claims, as well as country of origin, classification, and other issues.

Ms. Kipel is an active participant in the firm’s pro bono representations. She has helped clients obtain political asylum in the US and has represented individuals seeking relief in Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) cases before the Court of International Trade.

Representative Matters

• Certain Automotive GPS Navigation Systems, Components Thereof, and Products Containing The Same, Inv. No. 337-TA-814, representing Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation, and Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.
• Certain Protective Cases and Components Thereof, Inv. No. 337-TA-780, represented respondent AliBaba.  Additionally represented Cellairis Franchise and Global Cellular after taking over from prior counsel.  
• Certain Game Devices, Components Thereof, and Products Containing Same, Inv. No. 337-TA-757, represented Datel Design & Development, Inc., Datel Design & Development Ltd., Datel Direct Ltd., Datel Holdings Ltd., and Datel Electronics Ltd.
• Certain Prepregs, Laminates and Finished Circuit Boards, Inv. No. 337-TA-659, representing respondent Guangdong Shengyi Sci. Tech Co., Ltd.
• Certain Short−Wavelength Light Emitting Diodes, Laser Diodes and Products Containing Same, Inv. No. 337−TA−640, representing respondent Toshiba Corporation
• Certain Bearings and Packaging Thereof, Inv. No. 337−TA−469, representing complainant SKF USA Inc.
• Certain Static Random Access Memories and Integrated Circuit Devices, Inv. No. 337-TA-325, representing respondent Seiko Epson
• Certain Rotary Wheel Printing Systems, Inv. No. 337-TA-185, representing various respondents
• Certain Amorphous Metal Alloys and Amorphous Metal Articles, Inv. No. 337-TA-143, representing respondents Vacuumschmelze and Siemens Capital Corporation

Noteworthy

• Named in Chambers Global 2008 - 2011: The World's Leading Lawyers for Business as a leading attorney in International Trade: Intellectual Property: Section 337 (US) 
• Named in Chambers USA 2009 - 2011: America’s Leading Business Lawyers as a leading attorney in International Trade: Intellectual Property: Section 337 (Nationwide)
• Recommended by Legal 500 US 2011 for Patent Litigation: International Trade Commission
• Served as a Final Round Judge at the 40th Annual Niagara International Moot Court Competition sponsored by the Canada-United States Law Institute.
  

Select News & Events

• “Effective and Efficient Case Management: Views of Two Systems” panel discussion at the FCBA International Series German and US Bench & Bar Gathering in Washingotn, DC, May 18, 2012
• "US Perspective: A Comprehensive Overview & Case Study, Investigations before the US ITC under Section 337," The 6th Annual Conference on Corporate Intellectual Property in Shanghai, China, May 27, 2011
• International Trade Commission Trial Lawyers Association, Section 337 Seminar for Chinese Enterprises in Beijing, China, May 23, 2011
• "Advisory Committee Update," 15th Judicial Conference of the United States Court of International Trade, November 19, 2010
• Steptoe Trade Team Successfully Challenges Commerce Department Dumping Margin Calculations
• Chambers USA Honors 18 Steptoe Practices and 41 Attorneys
• "Promoting Innovation" Workshop at US Patent and Trademark Office, May 26, 2010
• Live at the ITC: Second Annual Forum on Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, April 29, 2010
• Chambers Global Honors Nine Steptoe Practice Areas and 20 Attorneys
• 44 Steptoe Lawyers and 19 Practice Areas Named Among Best in the US by Chambers USA 2009
• Steptoe Listed in Top 10 ITC Firms for 2008 by IP Law & Business
• 39 Steptoe Lawyers and 17 Practice Areas Named Among Best in the US by Chambers USA 2008

Selected Publications

• The Federal Circuit Has Affirmed The ITC's Ability To Address International Trade Secret Theft
  March 9, 2012
• Effects of the America Invents Act on International Trade Commission Section 337 Proceedings
  December 13, 2011
• Motions to Compel Plant Inspections Are Not Automatically Granted in ITC Section 337 Proceedings
  October 24, 2011
• Balancing Funding by Role Reduction for OUII in ITC 337 Cases
  August 4, 2011
• 通过减少不公平进口调查办公室在美国国际贸易委员会337调查中的角色 (Simplified Chinese)
  August 4, 2011
• ITC Report Details Intellectual Property Concerns of Companies Operating in China
  December 22, 2010
• Documents Created in Contemplation of Litigation Are Not Always Protected by the Work-Product Doctrine
  December 16, 2010
• Digging Deeper on Dumping
  November 22, 2010, The Journal of Commerce

More Publications »

Professional Affiliations

• American Bar Association
• Federal Circuit Bar Association, Board Member
• International Trade Commission Trial Lawyers Association, Board Member