Carla Ji-Eun Kim is a director in Sterne Kessler’s Biotechnology & Chemical Practice Group. She also serves as the chair of the firm’s Patent Prosecution Practice. Carla advises a diverse group of biotechnology companies on building worldwide exclusivities around their products. In her practice, Carla focuses on finding and creating innovative ways to extend exclusivities that are well integrated with her clients’ technological and business objectives. For example, Carla counsels her clients on the preparation, prosecution, and management of complex worldwide patent portfolios in areas of biotechnology such as therapeutic antibody, therapeutic fusion protein, antisense technology, personalized medicine, vaccine, gene therapy, cell therapy, formulation, bioinformatics, and upstream and/or downstream protein manufacturing process.
Carla also has extensive experience in IP due diligence investigations and freedom to operate studies, and she prepares patentability, validity, and noninfringement opinions in connection with licensing, acquisition, and investment.
Carla received her J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School, cum laude, her M.S. in pharmacology from the University of Minnesota and her M.S. in cell and molecular biology from the University of Pennsylvania. Carla’s graduate research focused on molecular genetic mechanisms of DNA repair in mammalian cancer cells and developing an anti-angiogenic approach to cancer therapy and treatment. She earned her B.A. in biology, magna cum laude, from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point.
Carla is an Adjunct Professor at George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School, teaching patent prosecution. When not at work, Carla loves yoga and hiking on the weekends.
- IAM Patent 1000, “Washington, DC: Recommended – Patent Prosecution” (2024 – 2022)
- LMG Life Sciences, “Finalist – Patent Strategy Attorney of the Year – DC Metro” (2022)
- Managing IP, “IP Star” (2024 – 2022)
- LMG Life Sciences, “Life Sciences Star” (2023 – 2020)
- Profiles in Diversity Journal, “Women Worth Watching® in STEM” (2020)
- Leaders League, “Innovation Technology & IP Rankings – Tier One, Patent Prosecution” (2017)
- J.D., University of Minnesota Law School, cum laude
- M.S., Pharmacology, University of Minnesota
- M.S., Cell & Molecular Biology, University of Pennsylvania
- B.A., Biology, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, magna cum laude
- District of Columbia
- Korean