John A. Kenney

John Kenney's practice involves litigation of complex business cases, primarily those involving intellectual property and other technical and scientific issues. He has tried and handled cases, arbitrations, and administrative proceedings and hearings in many state and federal courts in the United States, the Virgin Islands and several foreign countries. Over the years, this has included cases involving patents and other intellectual property, products liability, oil and gas, environmental, antitrust, securities fraud, and other contract and general business issues. He also advises clients concerning matters involving intellectual property law and products liability law.

John regularly practices before all federal district courts in Oklahoma, including the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, located in Oklahoma City; the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, located in Tulsa; and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, located in Muskogee.  He has also tried cases in numerous federal district courts around the country and handled appeals in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, 10th Circuit, 5th Circuit, and other U.S. Courts of Appeals throughout the United States.

He currently serves as leader of the firm's Litigation Group and is a past leader of the firm's Intellectual Property Group. He has also served on the firm's board of directors.

Before attending law school, John was employed as an engineer with Westinghouse Electric Corporation in Staunton, Virginia, and Norman, Oklahoma, and as a project engineer by University Associates, Inc. After law school, he worked as a litigation associate at Baker & Botts in Houston, Texas, before returning to Oklahoma and joining McAfee & Taft.

John is an inventor of United States Patent No. 5,773,757, U.S. Patent No. 6,026,376, U.S. Patent No. 6,381,583, U.S. Patent No. 7,156,306, U.S. Patent No. 7,503,496, U.S. Patent No. 7,703,682, and U.S. Patent No. 8,162,221.

In addition to being appointed on two occasions as a temporary judge on the Oklahoma Court of Appeals (attorney-staffed panels), John has served on various appointed committees and panels for the U.S. District Court for the Western of Oklahoma, including the Civil Justice Reform Act Advisory Committee, Merit Magistrate Judge Selection Committee, Arbitration Panel, and Early Neutral Evaluation Panel.

John’s achievements have earned him inclusion in Chambers USA Guide to America's Leading Lawyers for Business, The Best Lawyers in America (bet-the-company litigation; commercial litigation; intellectual property litigation; mass tort litigation/class actions – defendants; patent litigation; product liability litigation – defendants) and Oklahoma Super Lawyers, which named him to its prestigious list of "Top 10 Oklahoma Lawyers." He was also named "Best Lawyers' 2012 Oklahoma City Patent Litigation Lawyer of the Year," an honor only given to a single lawyer in each legal specialty in each community. He has been identified by Benchmark Litigation as a "Litigation Star." He is a frequent speaker and continuing legal education teacher on matters related to trial practice, evidence and intellectual property law.

John is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He is also a past recipient of the John Shipp Award for Professionalism by the Ruth Bader Ginsburg American Inn of Court and has received the “Most Outstanding Member Award” by the Oklahoma County Bar Association.

• Representation of clients in patent litigation involving consumer products, chemicals, gas well completion methods, dental equipment, industrial machines processes, medical equipment and other products and processes.
• Representation of a medical device inventor in a patent infringement case resulting in judgment for client in excess of $10 million.
• Obtained a plaintiff's verdict in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma for technology client for misappropriation of trade secrets and unfair competition, including findings of willfulness and punitive damages. Prior to trial, the court also granted summary judgment in client's favor on certain Lanham Act claims.  Post-trial, the court entered an order awarding additional damages.
• Obtained order of dismissal for defendant in a case alleging infringement of a business method patent.
• Representation of a grinding product manufacturer in defense of a claim of patent infringement resulting in a jury verdict of invalidity, a finding of inequitable conduct, and a finding for the client on its claim of tortious interference of business relationships in an amount in excess of $2.1 million.
• Representation of an inventor in patent infringement litigation involving a heart catheter resulting in a jury verdict for client in excess of $14 million. Judgment affirmed on appeal to the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. 
• Representation of an industrial equipment manufacturer in a patent infringement case resulting in jury verdict finding patent validity and a damage award and judgment for the client in the amount of $1,583,202. Judgment affirmed on appeal to the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals.
• Representation of a horse trailer manufacturer in a patent  infringement case resulting in jury verdict finding patent validity and a resulting damage award and judgment for client in the amount of $2,165,253.
• Successful representation of a chemical manufacturer in a contested Australian patent proceeding.
• Representation of patent owner in litigation and settlement of a case involving a new drug.
• Representation of valve manufacturer in a patent infringement and breach of license agreement case resulting in judgment for client.
• Representation of plaintiff in trade secret litigation.
• Representation of telecommunications company in patent litigation.
• Representation of manufacturer in trademark litigation.
• Successful representation of parties receiving judgment in the trial court in appeals to the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals.
• Trademark, trade dress and copyright matters and litigation involving magazine publications, storefront design, canned goods and consumer products.
• Counseling of manufacturers and businesses on intellectual property issues, including licensing, valuation, trademark and trade dress.
• Regional representation of major corporations in class action, multiple party and tort litigation.
• Successful trial of Hugoton gas field “deep rights” cases for major oil company.
• Representation of clients in environmental cases involving claims related to asbestos, chemicals and oil and gas operations, and of alleged toxic tort.
• Successful defense and trial of products liability cases involving automobiles, chemicals, consumer products, pipe and  pharmaceutical products.
• Advice and counsel concerning matters related to products liability and insurance coverage.