Kimberley Chen Nobles is a partner in the firm's Intellectual Property and International Business practice groups. Ms. Nobles focuses her practice on representing technology companies worldwide in legal, technical, strategic planning and intellectual property matters. Her practice covers a variety of business transactions and the protection and management of intellectual property, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, dispute resolution and litigation.

A member of the California state bar, Ms. Nobles is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and also admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. In addition, Ms. Nobles handles and supports complex litigation and arbitration matters internationally and across the country. Ms. Nobles' litigation experience includes cases before the Federal Courts and the International Trade Commission (ITC), from pre-suit investigations, through trial and appeal.

Ms. Nobles has extensive experience in the preparation and prosecution of patent applications in diverse technical areas, including communications, electronic systems and devices, semiconductor devices and processes, computer hardware and software, optical devices and components, biomedical systems, medical devices and systems, electromechanical and mechanical devices. Ms. Nobles also counsels clients on Internet issues, trademark matters, including privacy and data collection issues, acquiring and maintaining U.S. and foreign trademarks, conducting searches and analyzing infringement matters.

Prior to entering the practice of law, Ms. Nobles was a research and design engineer with Rockwell International. Her engineering experience includes research, development and design in the areas of communication systems and electronic instrumentation on the Space Shuttle, Space Station and Space-Based Interceptor Programs. Ms. Nobles' professional experience also includes research in the areas of electromagnetism, antennas and communication under grants sponsored by the National Science Foundation.

Active in the U.S. and International professional communities, Ms. Nobles has written and spoken on numerous topics relating to intellectual property. She is a member of the International Trademark Association, the American Intellectual Property Law Association, the American Bar Association, the American Electronics Association, Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, and the Licensing Executive Society. She also serves as Co-Chair of the Dispute Resolution Section of the Federal Circuit Bar Association, Director of the International Committee for the American Electronics Association, Board Director of the Singapore-American Business Association, and Board Director of the Mission Hospital Foundation.

A graduate of Ohio University with high honors, Ms. Nobles earned a B.S.E.E. degree in 1984 and a M.S.E.E. degree in 1985. Ms. Nobles' graduate work involved an emphasis on communications and electromagnetics. From 1986 to 1989, Ms. Nobles was enrolled in the electrical engineering doctoral program at the University of Southern California where she focused her research and studies on communication systems and devices. Ms. Nobles earned her J.D. in 1992 from the University of Southern California of Law, where she graduated Order of the Coif and was editor of the Southern California Law Review.

Ms. Nobles is fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese, and Taiwanese. She frequently speaks and writes on topics related to intellectual property law and practice, both internationally and in the United States.

Awards
Named a Southern California Intellectual Property Law "Super Lawyer" in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 by Los Angeles Magazine.

Recognized as a leader in the field of Intellectual Property by The Best Lawyers In America in 2007 and 2008.

The prestigious 2007 Legal 500 U.S. Intellectual Property, Media, Technology and Telecoms report recognized Crowell & Moring for Intellectual Property and International Transactions. The report specifically highlights Ms. Nobles saying, "With a deep technical background in the electrical market, Kim Nobles is well respected in the field for her construction and prosecution of patents. A client praised her 'very responsive' approach to their needs, as well as for her 'fantastic guidance'."

Education
Ohio University, B.S.E.E., 1984 - high honors
Ohio University, M.S.E.E., 1985
University of Southern California Law Center, J.D., 1992 - Order of the Coif

Affiliations
Admitted to practice: California, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

Publications
"Responding to Section 337 Actions," Lexis-Nexis China (April 2008). Author: Kimberley Chen Nobles.

"Managing IP Assets in the Global Marketplace," Lexis-Nexis China (April 2008). Co-Authors: Kimberley Chen Nobles and Brian K. Peck.

"Avoiding Pitfalls and Traps in Intellectual Property Transactions," EmergingTechPR.com, (June 2001). Author: Kimberley Chen Nobles.

"Information Management and Privacy," Legalelite (June 16, 2000). Author: Kimberley Chen Nobles.

"Birthright or Life Sentence: Controlling the Threat of Genetic Testing," Southern California Law Review, Vol. 65, No. 4. Author: Kimberley Chen Nobles.

Speeches & Presentations
"Entering and Expanding into Markets without Buying a Lawsuit: Strategies for Avoiding and Managing Patent Litigation in Multiple Jurisdictions," The Third Annual Corporate Intellectual Property Conference, Shenzhen, China (May 2008). Chairman and Presenter: Kimberley Chen Nobles.

"Doing Business Around the Globe: The Crossroads of Intellectual Property and International Trade," Association of Corporate Counsel (February 2008). Co-Presenters: Kimberley Chen Nobles and Brian Peck.

"Successfully Invoking the Protections of International Investment Treaties and Laws," The Second Annual Conference on Dispute Avoidance and Resolution, Shanghai, China (August 2007). Co-Presenters: Alexandre de Gramont and Kimberley Chen Nobles.

"IP Law and International Licensing," Shanghai Second Annual Lexis-Nexis Conference, Corporate Intellectual Property in China (April 26-27, 2007). Chairman and Speaker: Kimberley Chen Nobles.

"Litigation & Arbitration Planning: Maximizing Your Company's Ability to Achieve Its Interests in Dispute Resolution," Beijing Lexis-Nexis Conference, Dispute Avoidance and Resolution 2006 (August 29-31, 2006). Chairman and Speaker: Kimberley Chen Nobles.

"Globalization: Friend or Foe? Managing, Enforcing and Defending Your Intellectual Property," Shenzhen Lawyers Association (August 26, 2006). Speaker: Kimberley Chen Nobles.

"Annual Conference, China Issues," Federal Circuit Bar Association (June 30, 2006). Speaker: Kimberley Chen Nobles.

"Globalization and Localization: Intellectual Property and Future Trends," Lexis-Nexis Shanghai Intellectual Property Seminar, Shanghai (April 20-21, 2006). Keynote Speaker: Kimberley Chen Nobles.

"Maximizing Your Competitive Edge," Chinese Association for Science and Technology, Los Angeles, Annual Convention (April 2006). Speaker: Kimberley Chen Nobles.

"Securing and Maximizing Your Intellectual Property Rights in a Global Marketplace," Hsinchu Science Park - Hsinchu, Taiwan (December 2005). Speaker: Kimberley Chen Nobles.

"Defenses in U.S. Patent Litigation, Guangzhou Province and Municipal Lawyers," Association Annual meeting (August 2005). Speaker: Kimberley Chen Nobles.

"Protection and Enforcement of IP Rights," Shanghai Economic and Trade Forum (July 2005). Speaker: Kimberley Chen Nobles.

"IP Litigation and Prosecution Strategies," Taipei, Taiwan (June 2005). Speaker: Kimberley Chen Nobles.

"China and IP Protection: Practical Strategies," Globalization: Friend or Foe, International Trade Seminar, California (February 2005 and May 2005). Speaker: Kimberley Chen Nobles.

"U.S. Litigation Tips for Patent Procurement," Beijing Engineering Conference (July 2004). Speaker: Kimberley Chen Nobles.

"Markman Hearings," Whittier Law School (June 2004). Speaker: Kimberley Chen Nobles.

"Claim Construction and Interpretation," IP Spring Seminar, Whittier Law School (April 2004). Speaker: Kimberley Chen Nobles.

"The Role of Intellectual Property in Business Transactions," Tri Tech SBDC (December 2003). Speaker: Kimberley Chen Nobles.

"The Value, Management and Enforcement of Intellectual Property," Annual General Meeting, Licensing Executive Society - Singapore (May 2002). Speaker: Kimberley Chen Nobles.

"Are you sitting on a Goldmine of Untapped Intellectual Assets?," Investor’s Business Daily (October 24, 2001). Quoted: Kimberley Chen Nobles.