Corky Klett

Sometimes imitation is the sincerest form of flattery…. Sometimes it’s simply infringement.

William Y. Klett III (“Corky”) has a broad and diverse intellectual property practice. While his practice focuses on intellectual property litigation of all types, he is also routinely involved in the intellectual property aspects of corporate transactions including due diligence for mergers and acquisitions, technology transfer and licensing, as well as intellectual property portfolio creation, management, and enforcement.

PATENTS

Corky has experience representing clients in patent infringement matters related to a broad range of technologies, and has argued before Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.  Read more.

TRADEMARKS

Mr. Klett has experience filing and prosecuting federal trademark applications, managing and enforcing trademark portfolios, and litigating trademark matters, including infringement actions in federal court and cancellation and opposition proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.  Such matters often involve internet domain names.  Mr. Klett has experience with UDRP claims associated with domain name disputes.  Read more.

COPYRIGHTS

Mr. Klett has a wide variety of copyright experience, including internet music downloading cases, publication and manufacturing design.  Read more.

TRADE SECRETS

Mr. Klett has experience in developing strategies for the preservation and enforcement of corporate proprietary information.  He assists companies in developing policies and employee agreements aimed at protecting this valuable intangible asset.  Read more about his representative experience in matters that have escalated to litigation.

SOFTWARE

Mr. Klett has experience in negotiating and drafting license agreements for software, as well as litigating software issues.  Read more.

ENTERTAINMENT

Mr. Klett is the primary intellectual property counsel to the Estate of James Brown.  In connection with this representation, he is involved with a wide variety of issues. Read more.

CORPORATE/TRANSACTIONAL

Mr. Klett routinely represents companies in the development, protection, and management of intellectual property assets.  Read more.

Prior to joining Nexsen Pruet, Mr. Klett practiced law at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld in San Antonio, TX as well as at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough in Columbia, SC.

• Best Lawyers in America ® - Intellectual Property (2006-2011); Copyright law (2012-present); Trademark law (2012-present); Patent law (2012-present); Patent litigation (2012-present); Intellectual Property litigation (2012-present)
• Martindale-Hubbell - AV-rated
• Supreme Court of South Carolina's Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline (1995-1997)
• Supreme Court of SC's Commission on Lawyer Conduct (1997-1998; 2000-2004)
• SC Bar Ethics Advisory Committee - Chair
• "Legal Elite of the Midlands" - Intellectual Property, 2012

• 16 Nexsen Pruet Attorneys Listed in “Legal Elite of the Midlands” for 2012
  Sixteen Nexsen Pruet attorneys have been listed in Columbia Business Monthly's 2012 "Legal Elite of the Midlands."
• Nexsen Pruet Attorneys Named to the 2013 Edition of Best Lawyers in America®
  Nexsen Pruet attorneys have been named to the Best Lawyers in America® list for 2013.
• 62 Attorneys Named to the 2012 Edition of Best Lawyers®
  Nexsen Pruet is proud to announce that 62 of its attorneys have been named to the 2012 edition of Best Lawyers®.
• (VIDEO) "Does Midlands' Obama gas station violate trademark laws?"
  After a Columbia gas station owner started using President Obama's picture and campaign logo for the store's signs, WACH FOX television called on Nexsen Pruet Intellectual Property attorney Corky Klett for insight about trademark law.
• Fifty-nine Attorneys Selected for Best Lawyers in America®; Five Practice Areas Listed Among Top in the Carolinas
  Nexsen Pruet is proud to announce that 59 of its attorneys have been named to the 2011 edition of Best Lawyers®.
• Nexsen Pruet Earns Designation as 'Midlands Green Business'
  Nexsen Pruet has earned designation as a Midlands Green Business, joining other Columbia-area organizations that are committed to environmentally responsible practices in the workplace.
• Fifty-eight Attorneys Selected for Best Lawyers in America®
  Fifty-eight Nexsen Pruet attorneys will be included in the 2010 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®.
• Client Alert: Act Now To Protect Trademarks On Facebook
  The popular social networking site Facebook recently announced that starting at 12:01 a.m. EDT on June 13, users could create personalized URLs for their pages. This poses a potential threat to trademark owners, who should act immediately to protect their rights.
• Intellectual Property Group Recognized in Leading Trade Publication
  Nexsen Pruet announced today that it has been recognized in “Who Protects Innovation in America 2008” by IP Law & Business.
• 45 Nexsen Pruet Attorneys Selected for Best Lawyers
  Columbia, SC – Forty-five Nexsen Pruet attorneys will be included in the 2009 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. The publication also ranks Nexsen Pruet #1 in eleven practice areas in South Carolina and three in North Carolina.
• Video Produced for Innoventure 2008
  Learn more about Nexsen Pruet from our video for InnoVenture - a conference bringing together entrepreneurs and venture capitalists.
• 38 Nexsen Pruet Attorneys Names To "The Best Lawyers in America 2008"
  Thirty-eight attorneys from Nexsen Pruet, LLC were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2008 – including six who have now earned the honor for 10 years or more.
• 32 Nexsen Pruet Attorneys Named to 2007 Edition of "Best Lawyers in America"
  Thirty-two attorneys from Nexsen Pruet, LLC have been named to the 2007 edition of Best Lawyers in America – including six who have now earned the honor for 10 years or more.

• LightSwitch - Intellectual Property Law Bulletin
  This edition contains the following articles:

  My company has no intellectual property... or does it?

  Brain Child

  What the Librarian of Congress has to do with your cell phone

• LightSwitch - Intellectual Property Law Bulletin
  This edition contains the following articles:

  - The Patent Reform Act of 2010

  - Notable IP Group Activities

  - The Transformative Obama "Hope" Poster Fair Use or an Infringing Derivative Work?

• LightSwitch - Intellectual Property Law Bulletin
  This edition contains the following articles:

  - Court Applies "Reasonableness" Standard to Invention Assignment

  - I Lost Fifty Pounds Using This Product!!!

  - Why Should Cash-Strapped Start-Up Companies Spend Money on IP Attorneys?

• LightSwitch - Intellectual Property Law Bulletin
  This edition contains the following articles:
  - South Carolina and The Wind Energy Debate
  - Virtual Mediation
  - Damages in Patent Cases
  - Liability Risks for Corporate Networking Websites
  
• LightSwitch - Intellectual Property Law Bulletin
  This edition contains articles related to:
  
  1. Trademark Protection in NC Under State Statutes
  2. Using a Trademark in Commerce
  3. Damages in Patent Cases, Part 2 of 3
  
• LightSwitch - Intellectual Property Law Bulletin
  This edition contains articles related to:
  
  1) The Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property Act (a.k.a. PRO-IP Act)
  2) Damages in Patent Cases, Part 1 of 3
  3) Non-traditional Trademarks and Servicemarks
• Intellectual Property Team Holiday Cards
  Each year, Nexsen Pruet's Intellectual Property team creates holiday cards for clients and contacts. In the spirit of the holiday season, we take a look back at the cards from years past.
• Intellectual Property Update