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Ernest Lipscomb

headshot of attorney Ernest B. Lipscomb, III

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Education
  • University of Mississippi, B.S. Chemical Engineering
  • University of Mississippi, J.D.
  • George Washington University, LL.M., Patent and Trademark Registration Law
Licensed In
  • South Carolina
  • North Carolina
Admitted In
  • United States Patent and Trademark Office
  • All South Carolina Courts
  • United States District Court for the District of South Carolina
  • Western District of North Carolina
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Professional Associations
  • South Carolina Bar
  • New York Bar Association
  • American Intellectual Property Law Association
  • Association of Corporate Patent Counsel
  • Carolinas Patent, Trademark and Copyright Law Association

black memorial ribbonOur friend and colleague Ernest B. “Lip” Lipscomb passed away on February 26, 2023. Lip “retired” to Charleston from Alston & Bird in Charlotte. His retirement was brief as he promptly joined with B.C.  Killough for another 17 successful years in Charleston. He co-taught patent law at the University of South Carolina School of Law for six years with B.C., which was fun for both of them.

Lip Lipscomb was a gentleman, and it was a joy to work with him.  He was a fountain of knowledge, having published numerous books on patent law, some of which have been cited by the United States Supreme Court.  He practiced law right up to the end of last year when his illness became acute.

We will miss his counsel and companionship.

Lip Lipscomb’s obituary may be viewed here, his law firm bio is below.

 

Overview

A native of Vicksburg, Mississippi, Ernest B. Lipscomb, III has been practicing law for over 50 years. He is the author of the seminal eleven-volume treatise in the patent field, Lipscomb’s Walker on Patents, author of Lipscomb’s Patent Claims and has testified as an expert witness in patent cases. He formerly served as an adjunct professor, teaching patent law, at the University of South Carolina School of Law.

Ernest Lipscomb previously practiced as a partner with law firm of Alston and Bird in Charlotte, North Carolina, with a concentration in chemical, pharmaceutical and medical device patents. He has more than 20 years experience as in house intellectual property counsel for major corporations such as Westvaco, Revlon Inc., and Rorer Group, Inc. In addition, he has served as an Examiner in the United States Patent Office.

Mr. Lipscomb is a member of First (Scots) Presbyterian Church and the Historic Charleston Foundation.

Services

Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, Intellectual property

Awards

Ernest Lipscomb has a preeminent (formerly referred to as AV) Martindale-Hubbell rating, representing the highest level of professional excellence. He is recognized by both Best Lawyers of America and Super Lawyers for his work in trademarks, patents and intellectual property law. In 2015, the South Carolina Bar Foundation honored him as a member of the Nifty Fifty Class and in 2017 he was listed as a Lowcountry Legal Elite attorney in the areas of intellectual property and innovation by Charleston Business Magazine.