Attorneys

Member

Michael S. Hargis

Lexington, KY
859-226-2332

Michael Hargis is a registered patent attorney and member of the Intellectual Property and Technology Group. He has over 25 years of experience representing clients in intellectual property matters.

Michael has extensive experience drafting and prosecuting domestic and foreign patent applications in a wide array of technologies including medical devices, machines, audio speakers, automotive, and HVAC. Michael’s practice also focuses on trademark prosecution and enforcement matters including inter partes proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and infringement litigation.

Capabilities

Practice Areas

Intellectual Property & Technology

Patent Prosecution & Protection

Trademarks

Intellectual Property Litigation

Licensing

Recent News, Articles & Speaking Engagements

Trademark Modernization Act Provides Useful tools for Brand Owners of All Sizes

Business Lexington, September 29, 2021

Stites & Harbison adds four IP attorneys

by Haley Cawthon, KYINNO, September 27, 2021

with Trevor T. Graves, Warren D. Schickli and Patrick M. Torre

Stites & Harbison Adds Four IP Attorneys in Kentucky

by Adrian Cruz, Law360, July 19, 2021

with Trevor T. Graves, Warren D. Schickli and Patrick M. Torre

Intellectual property attorneys join Stites & Harbison

by staff reporter, The Lane Report, July 15, 2021

with Trevor T. Graves, Warren D. Schickli and Patrick M. Torre

Recent Assignments

Serves as outside counsel for a large university protecting and enforcing its trademark rights in support of its highly successful licensing program.

Counseled individuals in developing and pursuing patent and trademark protection for start-up businesses.

Prepared and prosecuted patent applications in a wide variety of technologies including medical devices, machines, audio speakers, electronics, automotive, and HVAC.

Successfully opposed registration of a competitor’s mark through an opposition proceeding conducted by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Bar Admissions

Kentucky

U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky

United States Patent and Trademark Office

Firm Leadership

Lexington Office Recruiting Committee, Member

Memberships

Fayette County Bar Association

,

Member

Kentucky Bar Association

,

Member; IP Law Section, Member

American Bar Association

,

Health Law Section

American Intellectual Property Law Association

,

Member

Community Involvement

Southland Church, Member

Education

J.D.,

1996

Saint Louis University School of Law

Org / Honor

Saint Louis University Law Journal, Staff Member

B.S.,

1989

Electrical Engineering

University of Kentucky

More Than Stites & Harbison

Prior to joining Stites & Harbison, Michael was a partner with King & Schickli, PLLC, a Lexington, Kentucky intellectual property boutique. Prior to law school, Michael worked as a senior engineer with McDonnell Douglas Corporation (now Boeing, Inc.), a defense contractor, designing avionics and electronic test equipment for the F-15 and F-18 aircraft.

Throughout his time in Lexington, Michael has been actively involved in the soccer community serving on boards with the I AM 3rd recreational soccer league and Commonwealth Soccer club and in other roles with Lexington FC and Lexington Christian Academy teams, and coaching numerous recreational teams.

Accolades

Managing Intellectual Property, IP Stars (2021-25)

Kentucky Super Lawyers® (2021-25)

Contact Resources

Michael S. Hargis's PDF Michael S. Hargis's Contact VCF

Michael Hargis's LinkedIn Profile

See more related to Michael Hargis

Press Releases

Managing IP Honors Stites & Harbison Attorneys on “IP Stars” 2025 List

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Managing Intellectual Property (Managing IP) magazine has named 10 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys to the 2025 “IP Stars” list. Managing IP recognizes the most highly regarded intellectual property attorneys in the U.S. The star attorneys are nominated by their peers and in-house counsel. Inclusion on the list is...
by Stites & Harbison, PLLC

June 18, 2025

Press Releases

Kentucky Super Lawyers Honors 47 Stites & Harbison Attorneys for 2025

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The 2025 edition of Kentucky Super Lawyers recently honored 47 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys in the Covington, Frankfort, Lexington and Louisville, Ky., offices. The publication named 34 attorneys to the Super Lawyers list and 13 attorneys to the Rising Stars list. A number of Stites & Harbison attorneys...
by Stites & Harbison, PLLC

December 27, 2024

Press Releases

Managing IP Honors Stites & Harbison Attorneys on “IP Stars” 2024 List

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Managing Intellectual Property (Managing IP) magazine has named nine Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys to the 2024 “IP Stars” list. Managing IP recognizes the most highly regarded intellectual property attorneys in the U.S. The star attorneys are nominated by their peers and in-house counsel. Inclusion on the list is...
by Stites & Harbison, PLLC

July 02, 2024

Press Releases

Kentucky Super Lawyers® Honors 49 Stites & Harbison Attorneys for 2024

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The 2024 edition of Kentucky Super Lawyers® recently honored 49 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys in the Covington, Frankfort, Lexington and Louisville, Ky., offices. The publication named 35 attorneys to the Super Lawyers® list and 14 attorneys to the Rising Stars® list. A number of Stites & Harbison attorneys...
by Stites & Harbison, PLLC

January 12, 2024

Press Releases

Managing IP Honors Stites & Harbison Attorneys on “IP Stars” 2023 list

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Managing Intellectual Property (Managing IP) magazine has named nine Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys to the 2023 “IP Stars” list. Managing IP recognizes the most highly regarded intellectual property attorneys in the U.S. The star attorneys are nominated by their peers and in-house counsel. Inclusion on the list is...
by Stites & Harbison, PLLC

July 25, 2023

Press Releases

Kentucky Super Lawyers Honors 49 Stites & Harbison Attorneys for 2023

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The 2023 edition of Kentucky Super Lawyers recently honored 49 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys in the Covington, Frankfort, Lexington and Louisville, Ky., offices. The publication named 37 attorneys to the Super Lawyers list and 12 attorneys to the Rising Stars list. A number of Stites & Harbison attorneys...
by Stites & Harbison, PLLC

January 12, 2023

Press Releases

Managing IP Honors Stites & Harbison Attorneys on “IP Stars” 2022 List

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Managing Intellectual Property (Managing IP) magazine has named nine Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys to the 2022 “IP Stars” list. Managing IP recognizes the most highly regarded intellectual property attorneys in the U.S. The star attorneys are nominated by their peers and in-house counsel. Inclusion on the list is...
by Stites & Harbison, PLLC

June 08, 2022

Articles

Trademark Modernization Act Provides Useful tools for Brand Owners of All Sizes

The Trademark Modernization Act of 2020 (TMA) introduced several amendments to federal trademark statutes, known as the Lanham Act, that should prove favorable to brand owners when the TMA becomes effective on December 27th. There has been much written of late about trademark depletion or congestion theories, which suggest there...
by Michael S. Hargis

October 04, 2021

SEE MORE