Kate Sullivan
Founder & Managing Attorney | Patents, Trademarks, Intellectual Property Strategy & Business Counsel
Kate Sullivan is the founder of Black Dog Law, PLLC, a Tulsa-based intellectual property law firm serving inventors, entrepreneurs, startups, and growing businesses. She is an Oklahoma-licensed attorney and a registered patent practitioner before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Kate’s practice sits at the intersection of intellectual property and business strategy. She advises clients on patents, trademarks, copyrights, licensing, IP ownership, enforcement, and portfolio strategy, while also helping businesses think through the contracts and commercial decisions that affect the value of those assets.
Patent and Trademark Counsel for Growing Businesses
Kate works with clients at many stages of growth, from an inventor preparing a first patent filing to an established company managing a portfolio of patents and trademarks. Her approach is practical and business-focused: understand what the client is building, identify what actually needs protection, and develop a strategy that supports the business rather than treating each filing as an isolated legal task.
Her patent work includes provisional and nonprovisional applications, utility and design patents, USPTO prosecution, continuation strategy, Patent Cooperation Treaty planning, and portfolio development. Her trademark work includes clearance, federal applications, Office Action responses, brand strategy, enforcement, coexistence and licensing issues, and TTAB matters.
Learn more about Black Dog Law’s patent services and trademark services.
Business and IP Strategy
Kate is especially interested in helping founders and business owners address intellectual property issues before they become expensive problems. That can include clarifying ownership of work created by founders, employees, and contractors; deciding when patent or trademark filings make business sense; evaluating licensing opportunities; and building an IP strategy that can grow with the company.
Black Dog Law also serves as outside and fractional counsel for businesses that need ongoing legal support but do not need a full-time in-house attorney. See the firm’s broader intellectual property and business legal services.
Education and Professional Background
Kate earned a B.S. in Animal Science and Business from Oklahoma State University and her J.D. from the University of Tulsa College of Law. Her work has remained closely tied to entrepreneurship, innovation, and the Tulsa business community.
Community, Leadership and Education
Outside client work, Kate spends significant time supporting entrepreneurs and community organizations. Her involvement has included leadership and board service with organizations in Tulsa’s startup and nonprofit ecosystem, organizing Startup Grind Tulsa, and hosting educational opportunities such as Ask Kate Anything. She also regularly speaks and teaches on intellectual property topics for founders, inventors, and business owners.
That community work reflects the same approach she brings to legal counseling: give people practical information, help them identify risk early, and make the legal side of building something feel more manageable.
About Black Dog Law
Black Dog Law was built to provide practical, approachable counsel for people creating, growing, and protecting valuable ideas and businesses. The firm’s name is also personal to Kate and reflects the black Labs that have been part of her family over the years.
Read more about Black Dog Law or explore Kate’s articles and practical guidance in Insights.
Talk with Kate
If you are building a product, protecting a brand, developing an IP portfolio, or need ongoing strategic counsel for your business, schedule a call with Black Dog Law.