As a Partner in Lord, Bissell & Brook’s Business Litigation Department, Keith Parr focuses his practice principally in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, life sciences, agribusiness and energy areas. Keith counsels clients in the areas of regulatory compliance, intellectual property, and antitrust and utilizes his substantial lead counsel litigation and trial experience to provide his clients with solutions for their business needs. Keith advances his client’s interests not only before regulatory agencies and the courts but also works to provide effective legislative solutions at both the state and federal level. Keith’s practice is highly focused, but also quite diverse:
Seed and Biotechnology
Keith represents companies in the seed and agricultural biotechnology industries in connection with regulatory, intellectual property, liability and transactional matters. Keith has counseled clients on issues relating to the international sale of seed, global regulatory approvals of transgenic products, and product stewardship. Among the types of clients Keith has represented are biotechnology trait providers, seed producers, seed dealers, seed distributors, seed certification agencies, plant variety protection certificate holders, patent holders, seedsmen’s errors and omissions insurers, and seed certification agencies and seed association’s errors and omissions insurers.
Pharmaceutical and Life Science
Keith represents companies in the pharmaceutical industry in connection with regulatory and intellectual property matters Keith has substantial experience in filing Citizens Petitions with the FDA, representing generic companies seeking to enter the United States market in Hatch-Waxman Act Paragraph IV cases, and pursuing antitrust counterclaims. Keith has represented both patent holders and accused infringers in patent litigation involving prescription pharmaceutical products
Agribusiness
Keith represents agribusiness companies in connection with regulatory, liability, intellectual property and transactional matters. Keith has represented clients in connection with matters involving a number of different federal regulatory agencies, including FSIS, FDA, APHIS, PACA, FSA and the FCIC. Among the types of general agricultural and agribusiness clients Keith has represented are packing plants, growers, producers and federally reinsured crop insurers.
Energy
Keith has had an interest in the energy sector since his days in the Office of General Counsel of El Paso Natural Gas Co., El Paso, Texas. Keith recently represented a limited liability company in connection with the first corn-to-ethanol plant being built in the State of Illinois that includes farmer owned agricultural cooperatives.
Patent, Plant Variety Protection Act, Trademark, Trade Dress, Copyright and Trade Secret Litigation
Keith has significant lead counsel trial experience and has headed up a number of trial teams on major patent, trademark, trade dress and copyright litigation matters. Keith has represented clients in industries as diverse as the cellular telephone, consumer electronics, retail consumer products, pharmaceutical, seed and architectural design industries.
Commercial Litigation and Arbitration
Keith has represented companies involved in a broad range of commercial disputes in state and federal court proceedings and before Tribunals such as the American Arbitration Association and the International Chamber of Commerce, International Court of Arbitration in Paris, France.
Intellectual Property
Keith represented the first insurance carrier to offer Patent Enforcement Litigation Expense (“PELE”) insurance policies in the United States. Keith has represented clients in connection with requests for defense and indemnity for intellectual property infringement claims under Advertisement Injury endorsements of Comprehensive General Liability (“CGL”) policies. Keith has also represented insurers offering various forms of insurance products, which provide a defense and indemnity for patent, trademark and copyright infringement claims.
Articles and Presentations
- “Developments in Agricultural Biotechnology,” 19 William Mitchell L. Rev. 457, 1993.
- “Seedsmen’s Errors and Omissions Insurance,” ASTA Seminar on Loss Prevention, Chicago, Illinois, 1997.
- “Infringement of Intellectual Property Rights: Do We Need Coverage for This?,” American Bar Association Annual Meeting, Business Law Section, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 1998.
- “The Importance and Challenges of Intellectual Property Rights Protection in the Emerging Biotech Field,” Illinois Agricultural Leadership Program, Chicago, Illinois 2001.
Representative examples of clients Keith has represented include:
Previous Experience:
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University of Illinois, Department of Animal Science, Feedlot and Breeding Experimentation, Estrus Synchronization Project, Urbana-Campaign, Illinois, 1979.
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Office of General Counsel, El Paso Natural Gas Co., El Paso, Texas, 1980
Registrations
U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
- University of Illinois, B.S., Agricultural Science, 1978, Phi Eta Sigma, Alpha Zeta, Gamma Sigma Delta, Bronze Tablet
- University of Illinois, J.D., 1981, Harno Scholar
- Supreme Court, Illinois
- U.S. District Court, C.D. Illinois
- U.S. District Court, N.D. Illinois
- U.S. District Court (N.D. Trial Bar)
- U.S. District Court, S.D. Illinois
- U.S. District Court, E.D. Michigan
- U.S. District Court, E.D. Wisconsin
- U.S. District Court, W.D. Wisconsin
- U.S. Court of Appeals (6th Circuit)
- U.S. Court of Appeals (7th Circuit)
- U.S. Court of Appeals (8th Circuit)
- U.S. Court of Appeals (10th Circuit)
- U.S. Court of Appeals (D.C. Circuit)
- U.S. Court of Appeals (Federal Circuit)
- U.S. Supreme Court
- American Bar Association
- American Agricultural Law Association
- Chicago Bar Association
- Chicago/Cook County 4-H Foundation, Board Member, Former President
- Chicago Agriculture Ambassadors, Charter Member
- Union League Club
- Citizens for U of I Extension, Member, Core Citizens Group
- Chicago Farmers
- Illinois State Bar Association
- American Intellectual Property Law Association
- American Seed Trade Association, Associate Member, Firm Representative