Kenneth B. Black
Experience
Ken Black is a partner of the firm and engages in a complex business litigation
practice, with emphasis in intellectual property, securities, employment, and other
commercial disputes. He represents clients in trademark, trade dress, copyright, right
of publicity, and patent disputes. Ken has also litigated a wide variety of intellectual
property-related contract, licensing, trade secrets and unfair competition disputes.
He represents businesses, accountants, and individuals in securities litigation matters,
including class actions, shareholder derivative suits, SEC investigations, dissenting
shareholder actions, and battles for corporate control. Ken also represents employers
in race, gender, religion, and disability discrimination cases in federal and state
courts. He also assists employers with disputes involving employment agreements,
covenants not to compete, and nondisclosure obligations. Ken also handles
Partner
commercial litigation in a variety of other substantive areas, including antitrust, real
Salt Lake City, UT
property, construction, franchise/distribution, and other contract and tort matters.
(801) 578-6939 direct
He is a past member of the firm's Executive Committee.
(801) 578-6999 fax
Ken is admitted to practice in both Utah and California. While he resides and practices
principally in Utah, he is frequently retained to handle litigation matters in Northern
and Southern California federal and state courts.
ken.black@stoel.com
Education

Harvard Law School, J.D., 1989, cum
Professional Honors and Activities
laude

Selected by Best Lawyers® as Litigation-Intellectual Property Law Lawyer of the
Developments Editor, Harvard
Year, Salt Lake City, 2013; Litigation-Securities Law Lawyer of the Year, Salt
International Law Journal
Lake City, 2012; and Bet-the-Company Litigation Lawyer of the Year, Salt Lake

City, 2015

Litigation-Patent, Litigation-Securities, Trade Secrets Law), 2008-2016

cum laude, with honors
Phi Beta Kappa
Listed in Best Lawyers in America© (currently: Appellate Practice, Bet-theCompany Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation-Intellectual Property,
Listed in Intellectual Asset Management's IAM Patent 1000 - The World's Leading
Patent Practitioners, 2013

Listed for many years in the Utah Business "Legal Elite"

Selected as one of "America's Leading Lawyers for Business" (Utah) by Chambers
University of Utah, B.A., 1986, magna
Admissions

Utah

California

California and Utah federal and state
courts

U.S. Supreme Court
USA (currently: Litigation: General Commercial), 2005-2016

Listed in Mountain States Super Lawyers® (Business Litigation, Intellectual
Property Litigation, Securities Litigation), 2007-2015

Listed in Mountain States Super Lawyers® in Top 100 Lawyers, 2014-2015
Languages

Japanese
Kenneth B. Black

President, 2004, and board member, 1999-2005, Federal Bar Association, Utah Chapter

Member, Utah Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Professionalism, 2004-2013

Executive committee member, Salt Lake County Bar Association, 2001-2005

Member, Tenth Circuit Judicial Conference Program Committee, 2003-2004

Member, 2001-2009, U.S. District Court, District of Utah Technology Committee
Civic Activities

Member, University of Utah National Honors Advisory Board, 2001-2013

Judge pro tem, Third Judicial District Small Claims Court, 1997-1999

Member, University of Utah Alumni Student Recruiting Committee, 1994-1997

Assistant district commissioner, Boy Scouts of America, 1995-1998