Candice J. Kwark

Candice J. Kwark is an intellectual property litigator with a focus on patent litigation. She represents leading companies and executives in various technical fields before US federal district courts, courts of appeals, and the US Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Candice’s litigation experience extends from strategic counseling and due diligence investigations to fact and expert discovery, deposition, motion practice, claim construction, and trial preparation. One of her recent accomplishments includes representing a major pharmaceutical manufacturer in a jury trial where she handled the technical aspects of the case.

Candice is equally experienced in trade secret, trademark, and copyright prosecution, counseling, enforcement, and litigation. She has a comprehensive skill set in portfolio management, which includes offensive and defensive strategies. For instance, Candice successfully argued a summary judgment motion on behalf of a national retail chain against a footwear designer brand that resulted in a favorable settlement. Other notable representations include spearheading global trademark opposition proceedings across multiple jurisdictions for an Asian tire manufacturer and managing brand portfolios of industry-leading organizations and companies. These include a women’s professional sports organization, a French luxury fashion brand, an American food retail brand, and an Asian media conglomerate.

Candice brings real-world experience from various sectors, including pharmaceuticals, biochemistry, immunology, cardiovascular medicine, interactive health technology, automotive, and startup businesses. During law school, she conducted collaborative research with the Department of Business and the University of Amsterdam Department of Finance. Prior to joining Steptoe, she worked in Seoul at South Korea's largest law firm.

Professionally, Candice is actively involved in Chicago’s legal community, including the Richard Linn American Inn of Court. She has been recognized as a 2024 Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Pathfinder. At Steptoe, Candice serves as the co-chair of the firm’s Associate Committee and has served on the firm’s Professional Training Committee.