Overview

Mark McLennan is an intellectual property partner in the New York office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. While he focuses his practice on patent litigation, Mark also counsels clients on patenting strategy and due diligence. He draws on his technical background in pharmacology to represent clients in a range of industries, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and medical devices.

Mark’s litigation experience extends from pre-suit strategy, all stages of discovery through to bench and jury trials, in addition to his experience in inter partes reviews, acting for both Patent Owners and Petitioners. Mark has extensive trial experience, where his roles have included pretrial arguments and examination of fact and expert witnesses.

Mark brings an international perspective to his practice, with experience in global litigation coordination, a secondment in the London office of Kirkland & Ellis, and practicing in Australia for several years.

Mark’s pro bono practice includes advocating for persons seeking asylum in the United States. He also second chaired a two-week evidentiary hearing in a death penalty case in Texas, which focused on complex intellectual disability issues and led to a favorable bench decision that was affirmed on appeal. Mark is also involved in Kirkland’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, serving on the leadership committee of the Firm’s Pride affinity group.

More

Thought Leadership

Seminars 

Panelist, “Legal, Regulatory, and Commercial Strategies for the Innovator and Biosimilars Marketplace,” 15th Summit on Biosimilars & Innovator Biologics, New York, NY, June 2024

Co-Chair and Panelist, “LGBTQ+ Rights & Representation at the Crossroads,” Outspoken East 2022 Leadership Conference, New York, NY, June 2022 

“Patent and Technology Best Practices for 2017,” Intellectual Property Institute Panel, Lavender Law Conference, San Francisco, CA, August 4, 2017

Recognition

Recipient, Kirkland & Ellis Pro Bono Service Award, 2017–2023

Selected as a New York “Rising Star" for Intellectual Property Litigation by Super Lawyers magazine, 2020–2022

Credentials

Admissions & Qualifications

  • 2017, New York
  • 2013, High Court of Australia
  • 2012, Victoria, Australia (inactive)

Courts

  • United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

Education

  • Columbia Law SchoolLL.M.2016
    Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar
  • Monash UniversityLL.B.First Class Honors2012
  • Monash UniversityB.S., Pharmacology2012