Keith brings a unique perspective to the practice of law. As a degreed engineer with extensive experience in the field of Marine (mechanical) Engineering, he brings a critical eye to the technical aspects of legal issues.
Keith’s focus is on trial work, with areas of practice encompassing admiralty (namely, marine casualty and bodily injury claims), product liability, intellectual property, business disputes, and large-exposure tort litigation. Keith also counsels clients in intellectual property transactions.
Most Recent Success Story
In a recent case, Keith used his background in engineering and intellectual property to prevail in a hard-fought, bet-the-company case. To read about the case and the client’s testimonial, please click here.
Admiralty and Maritime
A graduate of the US Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY, Keith’s time at sea as a senior engineering officer aboard US-flagged vessels provides a breadth of experience he brings to the courtroom. Keith has defended shipowner interests involving marine casualties aboard ship, allisions, and groundings, as well as shipboard personal injury claims brought under the Jones Act and LHWCA.
Intellectual Property and Business Litigation
Keith’s representative IP litigation experience includes copyright and trademark infringement, and extends to claims of trade secret misappropriation, including claims involving misappropriation of business processes and proprietary information. His litigation experience extends to proceedings before U.S. Trademark Trials and Appeals Board.
Representative matters in the business litigation field include defense of business interests in class action suits based in California’s unfair competition laws, and includes contract actions, business torts, fraud claims, and unfair business practices.
Intellectual Property Transactions
Keith counsels clients owning IP assets, negotiating and preparing agreements aimed at the protection and exploitation of intangible property rights. He also assists clients in the acquisition, registration, and protection of trademarks and copyrights.
Representative Clients
Representative clients include product manufacturers, vessel owners, marine propulsion system manufacturers, consumer product distributors, liquid propane gas distributors, industrial designers, academic institutions, and software developers.
Keith Gillette's most recent representative matters include:
IP/Business Litigation - Compass Product Design contracted with one of the nation’s leading health and nutrition companies to design a home air purifier using new, patented filter technology. With the project nearly completed, the company terminated the contract and sought to recover all monies already paid to Compass.
A loss to Compass would jeopardize its ability to remain in business. With the help of a very determined client, Archer Norris attorneys counterclaimed, asserting breach of contract and business tort claims. At the conclusion of binding arbitration, Compass was awarded outstanding contract payments, project incentive bonuses, and attorneys’ fees totaling nearly $175,000.
To read case study and client testimonial, please click here.