Holland & Hart LLP is pleased to announce that Molly Kocialski has joined the firm as Of Counsel in the Denver office. Molly brings a rare combination of senior federal government leadership and extensive in-house intellectual property experience, having served as Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Rocky Mountain Regional Outreach Office for nearly a decade while previously managing mission-critical IP portfolios for major technology and financial services corporations.
As USPTO Regional Director since 2016, Molly led transformational initiatives across nine states carrying out the strategic direction of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property. Under her leadership, her team conducted over 2,200 outreach events reaching more than 130,000 stakeholders and grew the regional workforce from 48 to 354 employees. Her office became a trailblazer, establishing the first official USPTO presence in multiple locations and reimagining IP education delivery across diverse venues from fashion weeks to wrestling championships.
Prior to her USPTO service, Molly served as Senior Patent Counsel at Oracle and held senior IP counsel roles at Qwest Communications and First Data Corporation, where she managed global patent portfolios and conducted IP due diligence on billions of dollars in M&A transactions—including the $26 billion KKR buyout of First Data.
Her in-house experience spans patent prosecution, litigation management, licensing negotiations, and enforcement decisions for companies operating in highly competitive industries and diverse technologies, including software, telecommunications, financial services, and manufacturing. Her patent enforcement experience includes developing enforcement approaches for cases in federal court, before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and the International Trade Commission.
“Molly is a dynamic, visionary leader who brings exceptional insight to our clients through her extensive in-house counsel experience,” said Lindsay Silber, Intellectual Property Practice Group Leader. “Having served as senior IP counsel at major corporations, she can speak directly to the business pressures general counsel face when making critical decisions about protecting, growing, and monetizing IP assets. Her extensive transactional background positions her to deliver sophisticated counsel on a range of technology agreements and M&A due diligence that clients depend on for critical business decisions. Molly excels at developing creative solutions that drive business success—exactly what our clients need in today’s complex IP landscape.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome this distinguished leader to our patent practice,” said Phil Harris, Patent Systems Group Leader. “Molly’s executive leadership at the USPTO provides clients with valuable operational insights and policy expertise that can enhance patent prosecution strategies. Her intimate knowledge of the innovation ecosystem positions her to guide clients in leveraging their own innovations for competitive advantage and business growth.”
“When considering the next chapter of my career and deciding to return to private practice, I wanted to work with talented colleagues I genuinely enjoy, in an intellectual property environment I’m passionate about, serving sophisticated clients who value innovative solutions,” said Molly. “Holland & Hart is the premier IP firm in this region with an outstanding reputation and proven history of innovative approaches to helping clients protect their IP assets. The firm’s collaborative culture and commitment to excellence made it the perfect fit for me.”
About Holland & Hart
Holland & Hart is a full-service law firm with nearly 500 lawyers in 14 offices. Throughout the Mountain West, from coast to coast and beyond, Holland & Hart provides clients with astute legal counsel from a vantage like no other. For more information, visit hollandhart.com.