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Craig N. Killen

Craig N. Killen

Partner

301 S. College Street
23rd Floor
Charlotte, NC 28202
Meridian
1320 Main Street
17th Floor
Columbia, SC 29201
craig.killen@nelsonmullins.com

Craig focuses on intellectual property litigation, portfolio management, and strategic counseling. He has been involved in intellectual property litigation in multiple jurisdictions throughout the United States, including South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, Texas, Wisconsin, Illinois, and California. Craig is a registered patent attorney.

Craig focuses on intellectual property litigation, portfolio management, and strategic counseling. He has been involved in intellectual property litigation in multiple jurisdictions throughout the United States, including South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, Texas, Wisconsin, Illinois, and California. Craig is a registered patent attorney.

Craig N. Killen

Craig focuses on intellectual property litigation, portfolio management, and strategic counseling. He has been involved in intellectual property litigation in multiple jurisdictions throughout the United States, including South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, Texas, Wisconsin, Illinois, and California. Craig is a registered patent attorney.

Experience

The following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.

Experience

  • Experienced in the analysis of patent and trademark infringement, validity, and avoidance
  • Has prepared and prosecuted patents and trademarks throughout the world, and assists clients in copyright matters
  • Has assisted clients in the fields of radar; signal processing; electronic components; neural networks; e-commerce and business methods; software-based inventions; electric motors; mechanical components; guidance and navigation, electronic ignition, optical measurement, and electronic monitoring systems
  • Has counseled clients on the strategic aspects of obtaining and maintaining intellectual property portfolios, including the determination of which aspects of a client's business and product lines should be protected for maximum benefit

Education

  • University of South Carolina School of Law, JD (1991)
    • Member, South Carolina Law Review
    • Received American Jurisprudence Award in Torts II
    • Won first place in the Nathan Burkin Memorial Competition
  • Clemson University, BS, Electrical Engineering (1987)

Admissions

  • North Carolina
  • South Carolina
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. Patent & Trademark Office

Practice Areas

The bar rules of some states require that the standards for an attorney's inclusion in certain public accolades or recognitions be provided. When such accolades or recognitions are listed, a hyperlink is provided that leads to a description of the respective selection methodology.

  • IAM1000, Patent 1000 Recommended - North Carolina (2024)
  • Managing Intellectual Property magazine, “Patent Star" (2017–2023)
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Intellectual Property Litigation (2013–2025)
    • Lawyer of the Year in Charlotte, N.C. for Litigation — Intellectual Property (2016)
    • Lawyer of the Year in Columbia, S.C. for Litigation — Intellectual Property (2013) 
  • American Bar Association, Intellectual Property and Litigation sections
  • Carolina Patent, Trademark and Copyright Law Association
  • Current Editorial Board member and Past Editor, South Carolina Lawyer magazine, the bimonthly publication of the SC Bar