Kenneth L. Tolar
Practice Areas
- Patent searches and written patentability opinions
- Patent prosecution before the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
- Patent litigation including defending and enforcing patents in both federal courts and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board
- Trademark prosecution before the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office and the Louisiana Secretary of State
- Trademark litigation including defending and enforcing trademarks in both courts and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board
- Copyright registration and litigation
- Employment law, including wage-and-hour disputes, employment discrimination matters and violations arising under the Family and Medical Leave Act
- Insurance claims
Kenneth L. Tolar handles general intellectual property matters including patent, trademark and copyright prosecution, intellectual property litigation and licensing on behalf of both corporations and independent inventors nationwide, routinely providing patentability and trademark availability opinions, inter partes practice before both the Patent Trial and Appeal Board and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board; as a patent practitioner registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, he has secured over 350 patents on behalf of independent and corporate inventors.
Mr. Tolar also handles various employment-related matters including noncompetition agreement disputes, wage-and-hour issues, such as those arising under The Fair Labor Standards Act and the Louisiana Wage Payment Act, employment discrimination cases, general commercial litigation, insurance defense, personal injury and first-party insurance claims.
Education
- J.D., Loyola University, New Orleans, Louisiana, May, 1993
- B.S., Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, August, 1985
Chemical Engineering. Majors:Chemical Engineering and French.
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
- All courts of the State of Louisiana, Oct. 1993
- Eastern District of Louisiana, Jan. 1995
- Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal, July 2001
- Court of Appeal for the Federal Circuit, July 2002
- Western District of Louisiana, 2018
Professional & Bar Association Memberships
- Louisiana State Bar Association
Representative Cases - Snow Ingredients, Inc. v. SnoWizard, Inc.; United States District Court, E.D. Louisiana
- Athletic Training Innovations, LLC v. eTagz, Inc., United States District Court, E.D. Louisiana; United States District Court, Utah
- Biggio v. H2O Hair Inc .; United States District Court, E.D. Louisiana
- Engineering & Inspection Services, LLC v. IntPar, LLC; United States District Court, E.D. Louisiana
- Athletic Training Innovations, LLC v. L.A. Gear, Inc.; United States District Court, E.D. Louisiana
- Thibodeaux v. Executive Jet International, Inc.; United States District Court, E.D. Louisiana
- Thibodeaux v. Stonebridge, L.L.C., 24th JDC for the Parish of Jefferson
- Jam Strait v. Sylvania, United States District Court, E.D. Louisiana
- Jam Strait v. Pilot, United States District Court, E.D. Louisiana
- SnoWizard v. Andrews, 24th JDC for the Parish of Jefferson
- Jeansonne v. Louisiana Citizens; Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans
- Rosen v. ANPAC Louisiana Insurance Co.; Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans
- Lagraize v. ANPAC Louisiana Insurance Co., Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans
- Gautier v Richards Clearview; 24th JDC for the Parish of Jefferson
- Gautier v. Progressive; 24th JDC for the Parish of Jefferson
- Janelco Global v. The Hanover; United States District Court, E.D. Louisiana
- Bridgewater v. Allstate Indemnity Co., United States District Court, E.D. Louisiana
- Hairline Ink, LLC v. Gerow, Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans
Professional Experience August 2017 - Present: Tolar Harrigan & Morris LLC, New Orleans, Louisiana: Partner, Litigation Attorney-commercial, intellectual property, insurance, construction, property, and appellate law.
August 1996 - 2017: Kenneth L. Tolar, APLC; Attorney at Law, Metairie, Louisiana; General intellectual property practice including patent, trademark and copyright prosecution, litigation and licensing on behalf of both corporations and independent inventors; patentability and trademark availability opinions; inter partes practice before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.
August 1994 - July 1996: Associate attorney, Didriksen & Carbo, PLC, New Orleans, Louisiana; Patent prosecution & litigation, products liability, industrial litigation, commercial property insurance.
August 1993 - July 1994: Judicial Law Clerk for the Honorable Edward J. Gaidry, Thirty-Second Judicial District Court, State of Louisiana, Houma, Louisiana.
October 1988 - July 1993: Technical Specialist, Betz Laboratories, Inc., Metairie, Louisiana. Industrial water treatment consulting services to local refineries and chemical plants. Duties included implementing and monitoring chemical treatment programs for influent, effluent, boiler and cooling water systems as well as interacting with plant management to assure optimal program results and maximum plant operating efficiency.
December 1986 - October 1988: District Representative, Nalco Chemical, Inc., Monroe, Louisiana. Industrial water treatment consulting services to Louisiana paper mills and chemical plants.
October 1985 - December 1986: Sales Representative, Liquid Air, Inc., Orlando, Florida. Direct sales of specialty gases to chemical laboratories, hospitals and defense contractors.
Legal Specialties and Certifications U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, Registered, 1996
Client Reviews
★★★★★
Tolar Harrigan & Morris is one of the very best Attorney groups I have worked with in the last 25 years. Smart and very responsive.. John G.
★★★★★
Compassionate - not an attribute I would have originally associated with a law firm. Tolar, Harrigan, & Morris was that and much more. From the first point of contact, it was apparent that this team was not only highly competent in their craft, but also genuine and determined to produce positive results. I have said it many times and will continue to say that if we would have chosen another firm, our results would have been much different. With an over-the-top work ethic, it is no surprise that we prevailed. My family and I could not have asked for a better equipped firm and are very happy with the results. Sherie N.
★★★★★
I want to leave a review for Tolar Harrigan & Morris LLC. My partner and I came to them after a lot of research on who to proceed with regarding our Patent. Not only did Kenneth Tolar assist us with successfully filing our Patent. But in addition, he helped us secure even more protection on our patent with additional features + more. His professionalism, recommendations, attitude, work ethic, communication and experience in his field is REMARKABLE. Jay K.
★★★★★
I’ve used this office for many years now and have a great relationship. They are honest and very effective in this field. This office is my “Go To” for ALL my patents and trademark needs. Call them today and see what I’m talking about. Ask for Ken. Ray A.