About Andrew
Most attorneys spend a career applying law that is already written. Andrew Cooper made his name on the harder problem: what happens when the technology arrives before the regulation does.
He began at Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP as a patent litigator, moving quickly across the full range of federal practice, including filing as amicus curiae to the Supreme Court of the United States on esoteric patent matters. Within ten years of starting his career he had risen to Vice President and Head of Legal for UPS Airlines, and became the first Black General Counsel in that airline’s history.
He credits his parents, Beatrice and Andrew Lee Cooper, and his mentors, Dinisa Folmar and Leonard Searcy, a list he offers before he offers his own accomplishments.
Recruited from UPS in May 2022 to a portfolio spanning mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property licensing and open source, a natural extension of a career spent where intellectual property meets commercial scale.
Led the legal function for one of the largest cargo airlines in the world, and the first Black General Counsel of UPS Airlines. The signature achievement: full FAA certification for the world’s first fully unmanned drone airline, an approval no other operator, including the largest technology companies, had obtained. Chief IP Counsel from 2016 to 2018.
At the international firm he obtained experience across all aspects of federal practice at unusual speed, including amicus curiae work before the Supreme Court of the United States on esoteric patent matters.
Recognition
March 17, 2021
Inducted for excellence as a leader in the United States legal industry, selected on position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility and prominence in the field.
2019
Bestowed the Kentucky Colonel, the Commonwealth’s highest honour, and named to the Louisville Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 in the same year.
2017
Selected by his law school among its most accomplished young alumni, four years after admission to practice.
Let’s Get In Touch
A direct way to reach Andrew is being set up and will appear here shortly.
Speaking engagements, board and advisory service, mentorship, media and panels.
Biographical details as published by Marquis Who’s Who, March 2021, and subsequent public reporting.
