Sara Kanos

Overview

Sara C. Kanos is an accomplished intellectual property attorney whose practice bridges both the protection and enforcement of innovation. Her work spans patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and internet-related matters, with particular depth in patentability analysis, trademark clearance, infringement assessment, and licensing and contractual arrangements. Sara offers clients a strategic, big-picture approach to managing intellectual assets across their full lifecycle, from initial filings through dispute resolution.

A biochemist by training, Sara holds a B.S. and M.S. in Biochemistry from Furman University, where her research included pharmaceutical synthesis and work on DNA-interactive compounds. She applies that scientific background to her practice, most notably in patent prosecution and technical IP analysis.

Sara is a recognized voice in the IP field, authoring and lecturing on intellectual property issues for legal, business, and innovation audiences. In Greenville, she participates actively in the technology and entrepreneurship ecosystem and is a Leadership Greenville alumna.

Originally from Bergamo, Italy, Sara is fluent in Italian and brings an international perspective to cross-border IP matters. Outside the office, she is devoted to her family and to the Italian culinary traditions of her childhood. She is active in the Greek Orthodox Church and enjoys travel, favoring the beaches of South Carolina.

Services

Brand Protection, Invention Protection, Licensing, Patents, Trademarks, Copyright, Technology Transfer, Intellectual Property Litigation, Trade Secrets, Internet & Domain Name Matters, International IP Services

Industries

From entrepreneurs and startups to multinational companies, a representative sampling of Sara Kanos’ business and intellectual property clients include those in the medical device, automotive, telecommunications, sporting goods, cooking appliance, power tool, construction equipment, software and gaming, hospitality, and food and beverage industries.

Awards

• Awarded, The Best Lawyers in America ® 2026 “Lawyer of the Year” – Trademark Law
• Listed, The Best Lawyers in America ® – Litigation – Intellectual Property; Trademark Law, 2018–Present
• Named, South Carolina Legal Elite – Intellectual Property and Innovation, 2024–Present
• Listed, TALK Greenville Magazine Top Lawyers, 2023–2024

Experience Highlights

• Secured preliminary injunction in a patent infringement matter against a competing business
• Obtained summary judgment in multiple complex trademark infringement cases on behalf of both trademark owners and accused infringers, enabling clients to avoid trial
• Successfully tried a trademark infringement case resulting in the cancellation of a competitor’s trademark registrations
• Secured registration of nontraditional trademarks, including color, motion, and design marks.