Overview
(October 2, 2025, Chicago) – Steptoe LLP is pleased to announce that Katherine "Kate" Tellez has rejoined the firm as a partner in the Intellectual Property group, based in Chicago. Kate returns to Steptoe following her tenure as a Senior Vice President at Burford Capital, a leading provider of commercial legal finance. She brings more than a decade of experience in high-stakes patent litigation and a proven track record of trial success.
Kate is a registered patent attorney with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and has litigated complex patent disputes across industries including software, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, automotive parts, and medical devices. Her significant victories include securing a multimillion-dollar jury verdict in a major software patent trial, a trial win in a long-running automotive patent dispute, prevailing in International Trade Commission investigations, and a rare Federal Circuit reversal of an inter partes review (IPR) determination.
"Kate's return is a tremendous asset to our IP practice," said Steptoe chair Gwen Renigar. "Her trial readiness, strategic insight, and deep relationships in the Chicago legal market will further strengthen our ability to deliver world-class legal advice at the intersection of government, policy, and the courts – particularly in complex patent disputes where those forces often converge."
Kate brings a distinctive combination of trial experience, strategic insight, and business development acumen to Steptoe's IP group. She has successfully managed complex patent disputes through trial and appeal and is recognized for her effectiveness in cross-examination and oral advocacy. During her previous tenure at Steptoe, she played a key role in developing client relationships and securing significant litigation wins. Her recent experience in litigation finance adds a valuable perspective on risk and value in patent disputes, further enriching the firm's capabilities.
"Steptoe's collaborative culture and commitment to excellence in IP litigation make it the ideal place to continue building my practice," said Kate. "I'm thrilled to rejoin a team of talented lawyers whose depth and technical sophistication set the standard in patent litigation. It’s a privilege to be part of a group that consistently delivers strategic and trial-ready counsel across industries and borders."
Steptoe's Intellectual Property group is consistently recognized by Chambers, Legal 500, World IP Review, IAM Patent 1000, China Business Law Journal, and LMG Life Sciences for its excellence in patent litigation, post-grant proceedings, and cross-border IP strategy. The group is known for combining deep technical fluency with courtroom excellence, representing clients in some of the most complex and consequential patent disputes globally. The team includes lawyers and technology specialists with advanced degrees, including engineering, biology, and computer science.
Kate earned her J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law and her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She is admitted to practice in Illinois, the Federal Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States. Kate is also registered before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
About Steptoe
In more than 110 years of practice, Steptoe has earned an international reputation for vigorous representation of clients before governmental agencies, successful advocacy in litigation and arbitration, and creative and practical advice in structuring business transactions. Steptoe has more than 500 lawyers and other professional staff across offices in Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington. For more information, visit www.steptoe.com.
