Katerina Kokkas

Katie joined Bartlit Beck following two federal clerkships.  Since joining the firm, Katie has taken several cases to trial or arbitration.  Katie has represented clients in a range of matters including breach of contract, products liability, environmental torts, and intellectual property.  Katie’s experience includes preparing fact and expert witnesses, taking depositions, drafting written submissions to the court, and creating demonstratives for trial.

As part of her pro bono practice, Katie represents a group of Black voters challenging Georgia’s statewide method of electing members of its Public Service Commission.

Before joining the firm, Katie clerked for the Honorable Mary Rowland on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Honorable Robert Gettleman on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.  Katie attended the University of Chicago for both law school (Honors) and undergraduate (General and Special Honors).

Representative Matters

Northwestern University v. Moderna, Inc. et al. (D. Del.)
Trial counsel for Northwestern University in a patent infringement case against Moderna for its COVID-19 vaccine (Spikevax) and RSV vaccine (mRESVIA), which use lipid nanoparticles to deliver mRNA to human cells and confer immunity for COVID-19 and RSV. These lipid nanoparticles were invented by researchers at Northwestern University, including Dr. Chad Mirkin, Dr. C. Shad Thaxton, and Dr. Kaylin McMahon. The asserted patents claim groundbreaking work on synthetic lipid nanoparticles that mimic naturally-occurring lipoproteins to facilitate entry into human cells. The lawsuit is part of Northwestern’s overall stewardship of life-changing technology developed by its faculty through the enforcement of intellectual property rights, as well as technology licensing, corporate partnerships, entrepreneurial support, and startup creation. Read the complaint here, coverage in Reuters here, coverage in Bloomberg here, and coverage in Law 360 here.

Rose et al. v. Raffensperger (U.S. Supreme Court)
Counsel for plaintiffs in a voting rights lawsuit challenging the at-large, statewide method of electing members of Georgia's Public Service Commission, the entity that regulates utility services in the State.

The Boeing Company v. Raytheon Technologies Corporation, Goodrich Corporation, Rockwell Collins, Inc., and Rohr Inc. (Circuit Court, St. Louis County, MO)
Represented the Defendants in this contract dispute relating to certain parts supplied for the F/A-18 and F-15 fighter aircraft programs. 

The Boeing Company v. Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation and Hamilton Sundstrand Space Systems International, Inc. (Harris Cty., Tex.)
Represented the Defendants in a contract dispute relating to certain parts and systems supplied for the CST-100 Starliner space vehicle, which is designed to take astronauts to the International Space Station. 

Pringle v. Johnson & Johnson, Ethicon (S.D. Fla.)
Trial counsel for defendants Johnson & Johnson and Ethicon in a lawsuit claiming injury from implantation of a pelvic mesh product. The case settled shortly before trial, after favorable motion in limine rulings for the defense.

Pratt & Whitney Acreage Litigation (S.D. Fla.)
Counsel for Pratt & Whitney in environmental tort cases involving more than $1 billion in alleged property damage and personal injury claims arising out of the declaration of a "cancer cluster" in a neighborhood near Pratt & Whitney's West Palm Beach facility.

Cases Tried or Otherwise Taken to Judgment

Hamilton Sundstrand Camdenton Litigation (Camden County, Missouri)
Trial Counsel for Sundstrand in environmental tort cases claiming that alleged environmental contamination in and around Sundstrand’s Camdenton, Missouri facility caused plaintiffs’ personal injuries.  Nearly 30 cases are currently pending. 

• Gray et al. v. Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
  Trial Counsel for Sundstrand in environmental tort case related to contamination of drinking water in community where Sundstrand’s former manufacturing facility was located.  Won a complete defense verdict for Sundstrand on plaintiffs’ claims for negligence and punitive damages following a 3-week jury trial.
• Fitzgerald v. Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
  Trial Counsel for Sundstrand in environmental tort case related to chemical contamination in community where Sundstrand’s former manufacturing facility was located.  Case pending.

Confidential JAMS Arbitration (New York, New York)
Trial counsel in a five-day arbitration of an $800M breach of contract claim. The case was tried to a final arbitral award, but the results are confidential.