Engineering a Path Home: Luke Hibbeler’s Career Tracks Back to St. Louis

For Burris Law IP attorney Luke Hibbeler, the path to patent law was not a straight line. But each turn brought him closer to the kind of career he wanted. Now, Luke’s path has come full circle, bringing him back home to St. Louis.

The St. Louis native began his academic journey studying chemical engineering at Kansas State University, where he also competed in Division I track and field. When traditional engineering positions did not feel like the right fit, Luke looked for a way to keep science and technology at the center of his career.

Patent law gave him that opportunity and first brought him back home for law school at Saint Louis University. There, he used his final year of NCAA eligibility, set multiple school track records, and earned his J.D.

He later left the city to gain patent experience in Virginia, the home of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, working with both first-time inventors and major global companies.

But St. Louis was always part of the plan. Years later, Luke found the opportunity to return home when he joined Burris Law’s St. Louis office in September.

“St. Louis has always been home, and my wife and I always wanted to come back. I wanted to make sure I found the right fit to grow my patent practice, and Burris Law gave me that opportunity,” Luke said. “I am fortunate to join a team with tremendous technical depth and a collaborative culture. It’s a great fit for where I want to take the next stage of my career.”

Math came naturally to Luke growing up, and engineering always seemed like the destination.

At Kansas State, an interest in chemistry led him to chemical engineering, with a minor in chemistry. But as graduation approached and traditional engineering positions did not feel quite right, Luke began considering how else he could use his technical background.

Patent law offered a way to stay close to engineering and science without following a conventional engineering career. “Once I started seeing the intersection of technology, engineering, and science with the law, I knew this was right. Every day I get to see a new technology, and that’s one of my favorite parts of what I do.”

But his decision to attend law school in St. Louis wasn’t drivien by academics alone. Luke also had unfinished business on the track.

An injury had prevented him from using his final year of collegiate eligibility at Kansas State. By enrolling at Saint Louis University School of Law, a Division I institution, he could pursue patent law while getting one more opportunity to compete. While earning his J.D., Luke set a SLU school record in the 400-meter hurdles. Balancing law school with Division I athletics was demanding, but he says the competitive mindset has stayed with him.

“Track definitely gave me a competitive mindset,” Luke said. “In patent law, I think that carries over into wanting to find the strongest path forward, work through the challenges, and get the best result you can for the client.”

Luke’s practice spans chemical, materials science, and mechanical technologies, including battery materials and packaging, steel compositions, polymer-based paints and sealants, water treatment technologies, turbine engines, power tools, and printing toner compositions.

But his chemical engineering background still influences the work he enjoys most. “I love the combination of both: understanding what something is made of and how that material interacts with something else.”

For Luke, one of the most rewarding parts of the work is seeing an invention through the entire patent process.

“The best reward is when you are the person who works on the application from the beginning, drafts the application, and then files it with the Patent Office,” Luke said. “Then you can make the arguments and bring it to completion and get the patent. I love being there from beginning of the patent to the end and seeing it all the way through.”

While Luke was building his patent career on the East Coast, he and his wife never lost sight of their ultimate goal: returning to St. Louis. The challenge was finding the right opportunity.

Luke eventually reconnected with Burris Law attorney Evan Sotiriou, whom he had met years earlier in law school. Luke was not initially calling about a job. He wanted advice about what to look for in a firm before moving his family home.

During the conversation, Evan mentioned that Burris Law had an opening and offered to pass along Luke’s résumé. The opportunity brought Luke’s career full circle, allowing him to return to the city where he grew up and attended law school while bringing home the patent experience he had developed elsewhere.

Since joining Burris Law, one of the things that has impressed him most is the combination of technical depth and collaboration across the firm.

“Everyone has a distinguished background and comes from a different technology or environment,” Luke said. “I’ve been able to reach out to multiple people, and everyone is happy to talk and help.”

Luke once balanced chemical engineering classes with Division I track and later law school with the 400-meter hurdles. These days, however, his busiest schedule may be waiting for him at home. He and his wife have three young children: a 5-year-old daughter, a 2-year-old son, and an infant daughter.

“They keep me busy,” Luke said. “When I get off work, I just want to play with them.”

Having grown up with four brothers and one sister, Luke always envisioned having a big family himself. Much of his time outside work now revolves around his children, along with another hobby he enjoys: cooking.

These days, the kitchen often becomes a family activity. “Their idea of helping me cook is getting their hands in the dough and snacking while we cook,” Luke said. “It’s a great time.”