KU Law graduate to practice intellectual property in Kansas City

To some, the law can seem rigid and resistant to change. For recent graduate Ben DeKoning, it offers a front-row seat to innovation and emerging technology.

Originally from Andover, DeKoning came to KU Law after earning a degree in biological systems engineering from Kansas State University. His decision to attend KU Law was shaped by both practicality and personal connection.

“I wanted an affordable law school that had a strong recruiting pipeline to the Kansas City area,” DeKoning said. “When I visited, I really enjoyed the people I met and knew it would be a good fit.”

At KU Law, DeKoning quickly immersed himself in student organizations and leadership opportunities. Throughout his time in law school, he served as managing editor of the Kansas Law Review, president of the Intellectual Property Society and class president of the Student Bar Association. He also competed with the KU Mock Trial Council, served as both an attorney and justice on the University of Kansas Court of Parking Appeals, served as a Dean’s Fellow and externed in the chambers of Justice Dan Biles at the Kansas Supreme Court.

Among those experiences, he said his work with the Kansas Law Review proved especially transformative.

“My time spent with the Law Review has been the most impactful for me because it’s forced me to develop so many different types of skills,” DeKoning said.

As a staff editor during his 2L year, he strengthened his technical research and writing abilities while editing and drafting his own student comment for publication. The following year, as managing editor, he gained valuable leadership and organizational experience by helping oversee the publication process and working closely with fellow editors and contributors.

Beyond the professional growth, DeKoning says the relationships he formed through Law Review were the most meaningful part of the experience.

“Many of the members of the Law Review have become some of my best friends, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to spend my last two years at KU with them,” he said.

One of DeKoning’s proudest accomplishments came when his student comment was selected for publication in the Kansas Law Review, an achievement reserved for only a handful of student submissions each year.

“I chose a topic that I was very interested in but didn’t know very much about, so it was initially very difficult to make meaningful progress,” he said. “When I was told I’d been selected for publication, it was so affirming to see that my peers had found value in something that I’d wrestled so much with!”

In the classroom, DeKoning found inspiration in Appellate Advocacy, taught by Justice Keynen Wall. The course gave students the opportunity to tackle a moot-court-style legal problem through written briefs and oral arguments presented before Kansas appellate judges.

“It was so interesting to learn the skills that make appellate attorneys successful first-hand from a sitting Kansas Supreme Court justice,” DeKoning said. “I learned so much about written and oral advocacy and had a great time doing so.”

DeKoning says KU Law’s emphasis on practical learning helped prepare him for the transition into legal practice. Courses ranging from Trial Advocacy to Patent Practice provided hands-on experience, while networking opportunities connected him with attorneys and professionals in the legal community.

“The biggest way KU Law has prepared me for the workforce has been by facilitating skills and relationships I will rely on in my first years of practice,” he said.

Following graduation, DeKoning will join a boutique intellectual property firm in Kansas City, where he will focus on intellectual property litigation and patent prosecution.

His interest in intellectual property law stems from a lifelong fascination with science, technology and innovation. With his engineering background, DeKoning is also eligible to take the patent bar exam, allowing him to prosecute patents and appear before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

“I have always been interested in technology and innovation,” he said. “Focusing on IP law will continue to expose me to new developments in science and technology.”

As he prepares to begin his legal career, DeKoning is eager to move beyond theory and into the day-to-day realities of advocacy.

“Law school provides a lot of insight into the theory behind what litigation can look like,” he said. “I’m very excited to actually get into what working a case looks like as an advocate for a real client.”

-By Casey Bacot