Frederic T. Knape

Associate

T: +1 (312) 609 7559 F: + (312) 609 5005

Chicago

Frederic T. Knape is a senior Associate at Vedder Price and a member of the firm’s Litigation practice area and Unfair Competition and Intellectual Property sub-practice groups. He represents clients in US state and federal courts and has considerable experience in a wide variety of complex commercial matters including counseling clients and litigating issues pertaining to the protection of trade secrets, enforcement and enforceability of restrictive covenants, copyright and trademark infringement matters, shareholder and partnership disputes, professional liability and legal malpractice claims, and breach of contract and business tort actions. Mr. Knape has developed a particular expertise in counseling clients and litigating matters involving defamation law and the First Amendment.

In addition to his trial work, Mr. Knape has a dynamic appellate practice. He has been involved in a number of cases before the Illinois Supreme Court, including a first impression common law parentage action premised on contract law principles, a suit to enforce an international judgment, and a case involving the enforceability of restrictive covenants in the medical profession. He also has principally authored briefs for numerous appeals before the Illinois Appellate Court and the United States Courts of Appeals for the Fifth and Tenth Circuits. Most recently, Mr. Knape has been involved in an appeal affirming the dismissal of a $75 million employment contract contract dispute brought by the former Chief Executive Officer of a Houston-based energy company. Sullivan v. Leo Energy LLC, No. H-05-3913, 2006 WL 2792909 (S.D. Tex. Sept. 27, 2006), aff'd, 600 F.3d 542 (5th Cir. 2010).

Mr. Knape has built a highly successful career and gained the respect of clients, colleagues and the courts based on a philosophy that success stems from the credibility of persuasive and reasoned advocacy.

• Vedder Price Wins Appellate Victory for Leor Energy
• Employee Stock Forfeiture Provisions – A Different Breed of Restrictive Covenant
• IP Strategies

• Commercial Litigation
• Intellectual Property Litigation
• Trade Secrets/Unfair Competition

• Represented architectural firm in defense of copyright action that resulted in favorable settlement after dismissing certain of the competitor's claims. Kluber Skahan & Assoc., Inc. v. Cordogan, Clark & Assoc., Inc. et al., No. 08-CV-1529, 2009 WL 466812 (N.D. Ill. Feb. 25, 2009).
• Represented executive in defense of suit by former employer to enforce restrictive covenants in employment agreement. ADP, Inc. v. Rogalski, No. ESX-L-56920-08 (N.J. Super. Ct. Law Div. 2008). 
• Obtained summary judgment in favor of medical practice in defense of suit by former shareholder physician seeking to invalidate corporate action. Kern v. Arlington Ridge Pathology, S.C. et al., 893 N.E.2d 999 (Ill. App. Ct. 2008).
• Represented commercial artist in defense of suit by publisher of greeting cards seeking injunctive and other relief that resulted in favorable settlement after defeating publisher's motion for temporary restraining order. Recycled Paper Greetings, Inc. v. Davis, 533 F. Supp. 2d 798 (N.D. Ill. 2008).
• Represented medical specialty society in dismissal of 440 individual lawsuits before the federal Multi-District Litigation Panel alleging damages resulting from exposure to hormone replacement therapy medications. Doefler v. Wyeth, Inc. et al., MDL No. 4:03-CV-1507 (E.D. Ark. 2008).
• Represented international publishing company in dismissal of multimillion dollar defamation case. Rose v. Hollinger Int’l, Inc., 889 N.E.2d 644 (Ill. App. Ct. 2008).
• Represented international manufacturing company against former employees and new employer in trade secrets misappropriation, restrictive covenant and breach of fiduciary duty case arising out of theft of technology and establishment of a competitive enterprise. Clarcor, Inc. v. Doug Muennich et al., 1:07-CV-189 (S.D. Ohio 2007).
• Represented medical practice in action to enforce physician restrictive covenants in employment agreements where the Illinois Supreme Court upheld the enforceability of the restrictions. Mohanty v. St. John Heart Clinic, 832 N.E.2d 940 (Ill. App. Ct. 2005), aff'd, 866 N.E.2d 85 (Ill. 2006).
• Represented political action committee in dismissal of $110 million defamation suit brought by former Illinois Appellate Court judge and candidate for the Illinois Supreme Court. Maag v. Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, No. 3:05-CV-00711-DRH, 2006 WL 408231 (S.D. Ill. Feb. 17, 2006).
• Represented recovery audit service provider in action against competitor for copyright infringement, trade secrets misappropriation and related claims that resulted in a favorable settlement after defeating competitor’s motion for summary judgment. PRG Schultz Corp. v. Kirix Corp., No. 03 C 1867, 2003 WL 22232771 (N.D. Ill. Sept. 22, 2003).

• J.D., Chicago-Kent College of Law, 1998 (Member, Chicago Kent Law Review )
• B.A., University of Michigan, 1994

• Illinois, 1998
• US District Court, Northern District of Illinois, 1998 

• Member, American Bar Association
• Member, Chicago Bar Association