Women in Law 2025

2025

KATHERINE L. NEVILLE, PH.D. PARTNER Marshall, Gerstein & Borun LLP

K atherine L. Neville, Ph.D. is a scientist turned strategist who bridges the worlds of advanced research and intellectual property law. As a partner in Marshall Gerstein’s nationally recognized biotechnology practice – described by the leading legal director Chambers USA as “one of the best in the country” – Kate helps clients protect transformative innovations in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. Drawing on her Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from Northwestern University and more than two decades of experience in global patent prosecution, Kate guides clients through each stage of securing and managing worldwide patent rights. She represents a diverse roster of clients that includes Fortune 500 pharmaceutical companies, pioneering biotech startups, and nonprofit research institutions. Her work spans patent preparation and prosecution, portfolio management, freedom-to-operate analyses, due diligence, and complex proceedings, including reexaminations, and oppositions. Kate has served as lead counsel on worldwide prosecution for four FDA-approved drugs and numerous clinical candidates involving both small molecules and biologics. She has obtained protection for next-generation antibody technologies, guided clients developing novel vaccine platforms, and provided freedom-to-operate analyses that cleared the path for pandemic-response therapeutics. Her scientific foundation allows her to engage deeply with inventors on technologies ranging from recombinant protein production and genomics to cell-based therapies and diagnostic methods. Repeatedly recognized among the World’s Leading Patent

Practitioners by Intellectual Asset Management magazine, Kate has also been named an IP Star by Managing Intellectual Property, an Illinois Super Lawyer, and a Life Sciences Star by LMG Life Sciences. Profiles in Diversity Journal listed her among its “Women Worth Watching,” honoring leaders who use their influence to create positive change in their industries and communities. Within Marshall Gerstein, Kate is an active member of the Recruiting and Marketing & Business Development Committees and a dedicated mentor to junior attorneys, helping them develop both scientific fluency and client-focused advocacy. She is equally passionate about supporting women in STEM and law. A past president and board member of Women in Bio’s Chicago chapter, she has championed mentorship and leadership programming that empowers women across the life sciences ecosystem. Kate frequently contributes thought leadership to scientific and legal publications, addressing issues such as AI’s role in drug discovery and strategies for cultivating innovation in biopharma R&D. She also presents CLEs on emerging trends in biotechnology patent law and developments at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Kate’s path from laboratory research to legal advocacy reflects her belief that innovation flourishes when science and strategy move in tandem. Her career embodies intellectual rigor, integrity, and mentorship, qualities that have made her a trusted advisor to clients and a respected leader in both the IP and life sciences communities.

WOMEN IN LAW 2025