Heidi Sease Nebel Recognized in the Prestigious 2023 IAM Patent 1000March 21, 2024

McKee, Voorhees & Sease, PLC is proud to announce that Heidi Sease Nebel was recognized in the 2023 edition of IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Professionals.

Now in its 12th year, the IAM Patent 1000 is commonly regarded as the definitive resource for those seeking to identify world-class, private practice patent expertise and includes 50 country-specific chapters analyzing local patent professional services markets. The IAM Patent 1000 is compiled through an extensive research process conducted over five months. Analysts interview numerous attorneys, patent attorneys and in-house counsel to gather market intelligence on the leading attorneys in the field. Individuals qualify for a listing in the IAM Patent 1000 when they receive sufficient positive feedback from peers and clients with knowledge of their practice and the market within which they operate. The 2023 edition is the first to include information on Iowa firms and IP attorneys.

IAM stated that Heidi “boasts over 30 years of experience in patent law and IP design strategy. Well respected by her peers, she has considerable expertise in the biotechnology, chemical and pharmaceutical industries.” Heidi was 1 of only 7 attorneys to receive this recognition in Iowa.

IAM further stated that “McKee Voorhees & Sease has been a staple in Iowa’s IP community for nearly a century. Known for its capability to dispense personalized and up-to-date legal advice, the ensemble diligently provides solution-oriented patent services to its varied clientele.”

Heidi is the Chair of the law firm’s Biotechnology & Chemical Practice Group, and served as managing partner and as a member of the firm’s Management Committee for more than 10 years.

Heidi’s intellectual property expertise and the outstanding work for her clients has increased her visibility and reputation throughout the IP community. This has resulted in being appointed to such prominent organizations as AUTM (The Association of University Technology Managers) where she served on the Board of Directors from 2020-2023, USDA Plant Variety Protection (PVP) Advisory Board that she was appointed to by the United States Secretary of Agriculture and the US Department of Commerce Patent Public Advisory Committee (PPAC) where she is the former Vice Chair. In addition, Heidi was the 2022 recipient of the Iowa Biotechnology Association Leader of the Year Award.

Heidi frequently presents and writes on a number of topics including plant patents, enforcement of plant related intellectual property, options available for protecting intellectual property rights for plants, interaction between plant variety protection and the use of plant breeding technologies, protecting our patent system, European Parliament proposals, and updates from the USDA.