Craig D. Leavell

Craig D. Leavell is a partner in the Intellectual Property Department at Barnes & Thornburg LLP, based in the firm's Chicago office, which he joined in May 2020. He focuses his practice on patent infringement and trade secrets litigation, handling a broad spectrum of intellectual property and technology matters. His technical expertise is extensive, covering areas such as wireless telecommunication devices (CDMA, GSM), fiber optics, modems, semiconductor designs, image processing, video coding/decoding, liquid crystal displays, high-speed and cloud-based printing, website technologies, as well as mechanical systems like diesel engines, fuel systems, vehicle navigation, infotainment, telematics, medical devices, and control systems.

Leavell represents both intellectual property owners in enforcing their rights and clients accused of infringement. He advises Fortune 500 companies and entrepreneurs, defending clients in jury trials, bench trials, and preliminary injunction hearings across district and appellate courts nationwide. While the provided case data indicates one plaintiff-side appearance in an untitled case where he served as lead counsel, his firm profile explicitly states a balanced practice representing both sides.

He possesses significant experience in post-grant proceedings, regularly representing clients in inter partes review (IPR) and post-grant review (PGR) trials before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), and in investigations before the International Trade Commission (ITC).

Leavell earned his B.S. in general engineering, cum laude, from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1995, and his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Illinois College of Law in 1998. He is admitted to practice in Illinois and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, as well as numerous federal courts, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.