Christine K. Garcia
Attorney
Overland Park,KS
Summary
Attorney with deep expertise in intellectual property law and contract negotiation, skilled at developing frameworks that align legal processes with business objectives. Experienced in leading teams, conducting risk assessments, and implementing compliance strategies that safeguard company interests across diverse markets.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
Work History
Sr. Associate General Counsel, NA Contracts
Lexmark International, Inc.
Lexington
02.2019 - 02.2024
Assistant Chief Intellectual Property Counsel, Lexmark
Lexmark International, Inc.
Lexington
07.2013 - 02.2024
Chief Intellectual Property Counsel, Enterprise Software
Lexmark Enterprise Software, LLC
Lenexa
07.2013 - 01.2017
- Led, trained, developed, and mentored North America sales contracts team and provided legal guidance to European, South American, and Asian contracts teams
- Developed contracts playbook for sales team, detailing company positions, sample contract provisions, and resources for assistance
- In collaboration with development and business teams, created complex commercial sales agreement templates involving several products and services, including Lexmark’s first SaaS and PaaS offerings and software development kit (SDK) programs
- Counseled development and IT teams regarding data privacy and security compliance, authored privacy policy in alignment with California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and collaborated with EMEA attorneys on European privacy matters.
- Provided strategic legal guidance to executives and business teams on regulatory risks and compliance strategies, safeguarding company interests across new product launches and various contractual relationships
- Drafted, negotiated, and provided strategic guidance on a broad range of intellectual property agreements, including development, licensing, employee invention, non-disclosure, technology evaluation, university research, and assignments
- Served as primary counsel for Lexmark’s start-up subsidiary (Lexmark Ventures), leading legal support for the launch of its first product and service and drafting all intellectual property and commercial agreements
- Developed and implemented policies and procedures governing open source software use, mitigating risk, legal compliance, contract review, and signature authority
- Designed and delivered training for multiple business teams covering contracts, confidentiality, intellectual property, open source software, and marketing topics
- Assessed legal risks and aligned contract terms with company goals, particularly in areas such as indemnification, business continuity, intellectual property, cybersecurity, and data protection
- Managed all intellectual property matters for company’s software solutions and trademarks globally.
- Managed and resolved intellectual property claims and litigation, including successfully settling 7 lawsuits and securing a jury trial victory
- Spearheaded open source, intellectual property, and contracts due diligence for 14 acquisitions over a 5-year period valued at over $1.9 Billion, including drafting IP and transition services agreements – all while managing core legal responsibilities
Sr. Intellectual Property Counsel
Lexmark International, Inc.
Lexington
04.2003 - 07.2013
Associate
Coolidge, Wall, Womsley & Lombard Co, L.P.A.
Dayton
05.2001 - 04.2003
- Developed, marketed, and managed firm’s intellectual property (IP) practice
- Advised clients on intellectual property matters, enhancing their compliance and strategic positioning
- Drafted and negotiated software, licensing, technology, and consulting agreements, ensuring favorable terms and risk mitigation
- Conducted IP due diligence and transfers, facilitating smooth transitions and protecting client interests
- Advised clients on Internet, e-commerce, privacy, federal regulations, general corporate, and employment matters
Intellectual Property Counsel
General Electric Company
Cleveland
05.2000 - 03.2001
- Prepared and prosecuted patent applications, securing protection for innovative lighting technologies
- Conducted patent clearances for new products
- Conducted trademark clearances and drafted applications to ensure brand protection and compliance
- Provided advice and counsel on patent and trademark matters
- Identified and organized creative concepts to support invention development
Associate
Morgan & Finnegan, L.L.P.
New York
09.1997 - 05.2000
- Prepared and prosecuted patent applications involving telecommunications and e-commerce technologies
- Wrote patent non-infringement and invalidity opinions on telecommunications technology, informing strategic decisions for clients
- Conducted discovery and drafted motions and briefs for patent litigations and trademark infringement actions, supporting successful legal outcomes
- Rendered trademark availability opinions, aiding clients in making informed decisions on brand protection
Education
Juris Doctor -
University of Dayton School of Law
Dayton, Ohio05-1997
Bachelor of Science - Computer and Electrical Engineering
Purdue University
West Lafayette, Indiana05-1993
Skills
- Contract negotiation
- Commercial agreements
- Contract lifecycle management
- Contract compliance
- Risk assessment and mitigation
- Due diligence
- Intellectual property management
- Legal strategy
- Compliance training
- Stakeholder engagement
- Team leadership and collaboration
- Decision making
- Communication skills
- Due diligence
Education And Licensures
Registered Patent Attorney, 41,027, State Bar Admissions, Kansas, 06/01/14, Ohio, 06/01/01, New York, 03/01/98, Court Admissions, United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, 03/01/02, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, 05/01/00, United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, 05/01/00, Juris Doctor, University of Dayton School of Law, Dayton, Ohio, 05/01/97, Bachelor of Science, Computer and Electrical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, 05/01/93
Legal Experience
- Lexmark International, Inc., Lexington, Kentucky, True, Sr. Associate General Counsel, NA Contracts, 02/01/19, 02/29/24, Assistant Chief Intellectual Property Counsel, Lexmark, 07/01/13, 02/29/24, Sr. Intellectual Property Counsel, 04/01/03, 07/31/13
- Lexmark Enterprise Software, LLC, Lenexa, Kansas, Chief Intellectual Property Counsel, Enterprise Software, 07/01/13, 01/31/17
- Coolidge, Wall, Womsley & Lombard Co, L.P.A., Dayton, Ohio, 05/01/01, 04/30/03, Associate
- General Electric Company, Cleveland, Ohio, 05/01/00, 03/31/01, Intellectual Property Counsel
- Morgan & Finnegan, L.L.P., New York, New York, 09/01/97, 05/31/00, Associate
Timeline
Sr. Associate General Counsel, NA Contracts
Lexmark International, Inc.
02.2019 - 02.2024
Assistant Chief Intellectual Property Counsel, Lexmark
Lexmark International, Inc.
07.2013 - 02.2024
Chief Intellectual Property Counsel, Enterprise Software
Lexmark Enterprise Software, LLC
07.2013 - 01.2017
Sr. Intellectual Property Counsel
Lexmark International, Inc.
04.2003 - 07.2013
Associate
Coolidge, Wall, Womsley & Lombard Co, L.P.A.
05.2001 - 04.2003
Intellectual Property Counsel
General Electric Company
05.2000 - 03.2001
Associate
Morgan & Finnegan, L.L.P.
09.1997 - 05.2000
Juris Doctor -
University of Dayton School of Law
Bachelor of Science - Computer and Electrical Engineering
Purdue University