by Kim, Lahey & Killough Law FirmDoug Kim named to South Carolina 50 Most Influential list
Kim Lahey & Killough Firm Founder Doug Kim named to South Carolina 50 Most Influential list
Kim Lahey & Killough is proud to announce that its firm founder, Doug Kim, has been named to Integrated Media Publishing’s inaugural list of the Statewide 50 Most Influential People in South Carolina. Honorees were chosen through extensive staff research by the publications group as well as community nominations for their work across the Palmetto State.
A former computer programmer and software engineer, intellectual property attorney Doug Kim has assisted in securing some of the earliest blockchain and AI patents in South Carolina. In addition to his own successful law practice, he has built a law firm that has grown to be South Carolina’s go-to boutique firm for intellectual property matters, providing legal solutions and strategies tailored to each client from start-ups to multinational corporations.
Doug is a leader in the state’s technology ecosystem, most recently serving as Chair of South Carolina’s InnoVision Awards. He is a frequent speaker and trusted authority on AI, technology and intellectual property matters throughout the state.
In addition to this recognition, Doug has previously been named to the South Carolina 500 list by SC Biz; the TALK Greenville Top Lawyers list in the area of Technology Virtual; he has been named by Best Lawyers® as Trademark Lawyer of The Year and Patent Lawyer of The Year for the Greenville metro market; Greenville Business Magazine has named him a Legal Elite of the Upstate; South Carolina Super Lawyers® lists him as a Top Rated Intellectual Property Attorney; and Managing Intellectual Property magazine has previously named him as an “IP Star.”
With offices in both Greenville and Charleston South Carolina, the Kim, Lahey & Killough Law Firm provides strategic legal solutions to businesses of all sizes in the areas of intellectual property creation and protection, brand protection, invention protection, copyright, licensing, intellectual property litigation, trade secrets, software protection, internet and e-commerce issues, corporate formation, contracts, and business disputes and mediation resolutions.
by Kim, Lahey & Killough Law FirmKim Lahey Killough named Best Intellectual Property Law Firm in South Carolina
Kim, Lahey & Killough Law Firm is proud to announce that we have been named the Best Intellectual Property Law Firm in South Carolina by Greenville Business Magazine, Columbia Business Monthly, Charleston Business Magazine, B2B: The Grand Strand and B2B: Pee Dee Business as part of their Best in Business 2025 initiative. This peer and public voting award was announced in the December 2025 issues of the publications.
The firm adds this award to many bestowed in 2025, including:
Kim Lahey Killough named to Best Law Firms
Kim Lahey Killough intellectual property and business attorneys named in Best Lawyers
Kim Lahey Killough attorneys named in South Carolina Super Lawyers
Kim Lahey Killough attorneys named Legal Elite by Charleston Business Magazine and Greenville Business Magazine
Firm Attorneys named in Greenville Top Lawyers by TALK Greenville
We are thankful for the trust and endorsements of our clients, peers, and associates.
With offices in both Greenville and Charleston South Carolina, Kim, Lahey & Killough Law Firm is devoted to helping clients establish, enforce, and leverage their intellectual property rights from the Upstate to the Lowcountry to across the globe. The firm serves the manufacturing, software, energy, finance, hospitality, tourism, defense, agriculture and technology industries as well as universities. Key practice areas include intellectual property, corporate and business matters including formation and structure, mergers and acquisitions, contracts, cybersecurity, franchising, business, commercial and intellectual property litigation, and mediation.
by Kim, Lahey & Killough Law FirmKim Lahey Killough Listed in 2026 Best Law Firms
Kim, Lahey & Killough Listed in 2026 Best Law Firms
The Kim, Lahey & Killough Law Firm is pleased to be named in the 2026 edition of Best Law Firms® for the Greenville and Charleston, South Carolina markets.
The firm is recognized for its work in the following areas:
Charleston, South Carolina office
- Litigation – Intellectual Property
- Trademark Law
- Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
- Corporate Law
Greenville, South Carolina office
- Litigation – Intellectual Property
- Trademark Law
- Copyright Law
- Litigation – Patent
- Commercial Litigation
- Patent Law
With offices in both Greenville and Charleston, SC, Kim, Lahey & Killough Law Firm is devoted to helping clients establish, enforce, and leverage their intellectual property rights from the Upstate to the Lowcountry to across the globe. The firm serves the manufacturing, software, energy, finance, hospitality, tourism, defense, agriculture and technology industries as well as universities. Key practice areas include intellectual property, corporate and business matters including formation and structure, mergers and acquisitions, contracts, cybersecurity, franchising, business, commercial and intellectual property litigation, and mediation.
by Kim, Lahey & Killough Law FirmKim, Lahey Killough attorneys listed 2026 Best Lawyers
Kim, Lahey & Killough attorneys listed in 2026 Best Lawyers
Kim, Lahey & Killough Law Firm is honored to announce that five of the firm attorneys are listed in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 edition:
In the firm’s Greenville home office, firm founder Douglas W. Kim is recognized for his work in
- Litigation – Intellectual Property
- Litigation – Patent
- Patent Law (Lawyer of the Year, 2019)
- Trade Secrets Law
- Trademark Law (Lawyer of the Year, 2022)
Firm co-founder, Seann Lahey is listed for his work in:
- Patent Law
- Trademark Law
And Greenville patent attorney Hunter S. Freeman is commended for his work in:
- Commercial Litigation
- Copyright Law
- Litigation – Intellectual Property
- Litigation – Patent
- Trademark Law
In the firm’s Charleston office, Charleston patent attorney B. C. Killough celebrates his 15th year on the Best Lawyers list for his work in:
- Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
- Corporate Law (Lawyer of the Year, 2015)
- Litigation – Intellectual Property
- Patent Law
- Trademark Law
Licensed in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia, Casey Martens heads up the firm’s Brevard, NC office. She is recognized by Best Lawyers in the Greenville, SC metro as a 2026 Best Lawyers One to Watch in America in the areas of:
- Employee Benefits Law
- Intellectual Property Law
- Labor and Employment Law – Employee
- Labor and Employment Law – Management
- Litigation – Labor and Employment
Since 1981, The Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America has compiled and reviewed peer evaluations from across the United States to identify an annual list of honorees. This year, over 31 million evaluations were analyzed, including a record-breaking 4.8 million new responses.
About Kim, Lahey & Killough
With offices in Greenville and Charleston, SC and Brevard, NC, the Kim, Lahey & Killough Law Firm is devoted to helping clients establish, enforce, and leverage their intellectual property rights from the Upstate, to the Lowcountry to across the globe.
by Kim, Lahey & Killough Law FirmAll attorneys listed as 2025 Legal Elite
Entire Kim, Lahey & Killough attorney team listed as 2025 Legal Elite by Charleston Business and Greenville Business Magazines
Kim, Lahey & Killough is proud to announce that each of their eight attorneys has been named in the 2025 Legal Elite lists with all five of the firm’s registered patent attorneys recognized as Legal Elite in Intellectual Property and Innovation by Greenville Business Magazine and Charleston Business Magazines. “There are only a select few firms in South Carolina that are boutique intellectual property firms and to have our entire team recognized by our peers in Legal Elite is quite an honor. This recognition confirms the commitment we have to our clients and to providing excellent legal services that help our clients create and protect their intellectual property. This reaffirms our continuing commitment to our clients to assist them with matching legal strategies with their business goals to grow their companies and innovations,” commented firm founder, Doug Kim.
The IP attorneys named Legal Elite include firm founders Doug Kim and Seann Lahey as well as B.C. Killough, Hunter Freeman, and Robert Merting.
In addition to the firm’s core intellectual property practice, the firm supports businesses with corporate counsel. Business attorneys Casey Martens, Anthony Nolte and Emily Bohan were each recognized for their work in corporate matters: Casey was named for her work in Employment Law – Defendants and Emily Bohan was listed for Corporate Law – Business Organization matters.
Greenville business attorney Anthony Nolte rounds out Kim, Lahey & Killough’s whole team of Legal Elite, named for his work in Corporate Law-Merger & Acquisitions. Licensed in both South Carolina and Texas, Tony is a former business and financial executive as well as in-house counsel for Shell, among other successful ventures. He concentrates his legal work in the areas of company structure and formation, start-ups, early-stage and growth companies, corporate governance, mergers, divestitures, and acquisitions, financings, franchising & licensing, contracts, business succession, business disputes & resolutions. Outside of the office, Tony Nolte is an Angel Investor, teaches as an adjunct professor at Furman University, mentors startups in the Greenville ecosystem, serves as a limited partner in the Greenville Next Founders Fund I and is a member of VentureSouth.
The Legal Elite are selected annually through peer nominations from attorneys throughout the state of South Carolina in 50 legal practice areas.
About Kim, Lahey & Killough
With offices in Greenville and Charleston, SC and Brevard, NC, the Kim, Lahey & Killough Law Firm is devoted to helping clients establish, enforce, and leverage their intellectual property rights from the Upstate, to the Lowcountry to across the globe.
by Kim, Lahey & Killough Law Firm2025 Paralegal scholarship awarded
Kim, Lahey & Killough Law Firm congratulates Madison Gilstrap, the winner of our annual Paralegal Scholarship with Tri-County Technical College Foundation. This merit scholarship is awarded to a student who demonstrates academic excellence, dedication and passion for the legal profession. Ms. Gilstrap has shared that this scholarship will allow her to take her remaining classes in order to graduate this Spring semester.
Tri-County Technical College is a public, two-year community and technical college serving Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties in South Carolina and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The Criminal Justice, Paralegal Emphasis program at TCTC is an associate degree program offered both at the Pendleton Campus and online. The College advances economic development in the tri-county region by preparing a highly skilled workforce.
Kim, Lahey & Killough is committed to supporting education in our community and are proud to invest in the next generation of legal professionals. With offices in Greenville and Charleston, SC and Brevard, NC, the Kim, Lahey & Killough Law Firm is devoted to helping clients establish, enforce, and leverage their intellectual property rights from the Upstate, to the Lowcountry to across the globe. For more information, visit the firm website at kimandlahey.com.
by Kim, Lahey & Killough Law FirmCTA requirements on hold once again
CTA requirements on again off again this week – Currently still on hold
In one week over the holidays, the courts have reversed decisions twice on the subject of the Corporate Transparency Act and corporate Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting (BOIR) filing requirements.
On December 23rd, the requirements were put back in place by the Federal Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit with a new filing deadline of January 13th.
On December 26th, the Court changed its mind and vacated its stay pending oral arguments, pressing the pause button once again.
However, the Court might switch again after hearing oral arguments. Due to the uncertainty surrounding this filing requirement, we recommend that you gather your Beneficial Ownership information and be prepared in the event you are required to file quickly to meet a deadline.
Should you wish to file your BOIR now and would like our assistance with that filing or other business and corporate related matters, please contact your attorney or Kim, Lahey & Killough attorney Emily Bohan or Tony Nolte.
Please note that Kim, Lahey & Killough will not file a BOI report for you or arrange to have a BOI report filed for you unless you reach out to us directly to request assistance.
For more information, please visit https://kimandlahey.com/practice-areas/corporate-transparency-act/
by Kim, Lahey & Killough Law FirmCTA and Beneficial Ownership Reporting While Under Preliminary Injunction
Earlier this month we reported on the recent nationwide preliminary injunction against the Corporate Transparency Act and enforcement of the Beneficial Ownership Interest Report (BOIR) requirement. Below we provide you with additional guidance.
While the Texas District Court’s nationwide preliminary injunction provides a reprieve from the January 1, 2025 filing deadline, it may not mean you are off the hook entirely. In reality, this development in the law creates more questions than answers.
What is a business owner to do? Consider these three options:
- Do nothing. Ignore the whole thing. WE DO NOT RECOMMEND!
- File your BOIR now and move on to focus on operating your business.
- Wait and see what happens next to find out for sure what, and by when, you could be required to file your BOIR. Keep in mind that there could be a very short time period in which to come into compliance with this federal law.
We anticipate there will be additional court proceedings. Most likely, the government will appeal this injunction and move for a stay of it. Here is what could happen next:
- The stay is granted, the preliminary injunction is lifted and reporting requirements immediately return. There may or may not be a grace period.
- The stay is denied and the preliminary injunction continues, again though, temporarily until the issue can be fully and finally resolved in the courts.
- The scope of the preliminary injunction is narrowed, perhaps making it apply to a smaller group of people, such as only the named plaintiffs.
In short, while you do have a reprieve from the January 1, 2025 filing deadline, you also have uncertainty about what may or may not be required next. Taking the above into consideration may help you determine the best path forward for you and your business.
Should you wish to file your BOIR now and would like our assistance with that filing or other business and corporate related matters, please contact your attorney or Kim, Lahey & Killough attorney Emily Bohan or Tony Nolte.
Please note that Kim, Lahey & Killough will not file a BOI report for you or arrange to have a BOI report filed for you unless you reach out to us directly to request assistance.
For more information, please visit https://kimandlahey.com/practice-areas/corporate-transparency-act/
by Kim, Lahey & Killough Law FirmKim, Lahey & Killough Listed in 2025 Best Law Firms
Kim, Lahey & Killough Law Firm has been named in the 2025 edition of Best Law Firms® in Greenville and Charleston. Firms included in the 2025 Best Law Firms list are recognized for professional excellence with consistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. Each year since its formation, Kim, Lahey & Killough Law Firm has received this esteemed recognition.
Ranked firms, presented in three tiers, are listed on a national and regional-based scale. Firms that receive a tier designation reflect the highest level of respect a firm can earn among other leading lawyers and clients in the same communities and practice areas.
The Kim, Lahey & Killough Charleston office is recognized in the areas of Trademark Law, Intellectual Property Litigation, Corporate Law and Business Organizations (LLCs and Partnerships).
In the Greenville, SC market, the firm is recognized in the areas of Trademark Law, Copyright Law, Intellectual Property Litigation, Patent Law and Patent Litigation.
With offices in Greenville and Charleston, SC, and Brevard, NC, Kim, Lahey & Killough Law Firm is devoted to helping clients establish, enforce, and leverage their intellectual property rights from the Upstate to the Lowcountry to across the globe. The firm serves the manufacturing, software, energy, finance, hospitality, tourism, defense, agriculture and technology industries as well as universities. Key practice areas include intellectual property, business and commercial litigation, mediation, employment, corporate and business matters including formation and structure, mergers and acquisitions, contracts, and cybersecurity.
by Kim, Lahey & Killough Law FirmFranchisees as Third-Party Beneficiaries
Franchise attorney Emily Bohan chosen for publication in the prestigious ABA Forum on Franchise Law Journal—explores Third-Party Beneficiary Rights in Franchise Law
Kim, Lahey & Killough attorney Emily Bohan and Hannah M. Leiendecker of the Faegre Drinker firm in Minneapolis, MN published an article in the latest edition of Franchise Law Journal with the American Bar Association. The article, “Franchisees as Third-Party Beneficiaries to Franchisor’s Agreements with Other Franchisees or Vendors” sheds light on the complex world of third-party beneficiary rights in franchising and examines how individuals or entities not directly party to a contract may still enforce its terms under certain circumstances. This article was published immediately prior to the annual meeting of the ABA Forum on Franchising, at which Emily was in attendance last week.
Executive summary:
A significant impact on Dispute Resolution: Third-party beneficiary rights can play a crucial role in franchise disputes, often determining whether a case has any remedy at all. This underscores the importance of understanding these rights for all parties involved in franchise relationships.
Clear Intent: Courts typically require clear evidence that the contracting parties intended to benefit the third party. This high standard emphasizes the need for precise language in franchise-related contracts.
Franchisee Enforcement of Vendor Agreements: In some cases, franchisees have successfully enforced agreements between their franchisor and vendors as third-party beneficiaries. This highlights a potential avenue for franchisees to protect their interests.
Employee “Poaching” Restrictions: Some franchisors have utilized third-party beneficiary rights to limit employee recruitment between franchisees. However, Bohan and Leiendecker note that this practice faces increasing legal scrutiny and potential antitrust challenges.
Rare Vendor Claims: While uncommon, there are instances where third-party vendors have successfully claimed benefits under franchise agreements. These cases often hinge on exceptionally close relationships between the vendor and franchisor.
Highly Fact-Specific Nature: Bohan and Leiendecker emphasize that third-party beneficiary cases in franchise law are typically unpredictable and heavily dependent on specific circumstances. This unpredictability underscores the need for careful contract drafting and legal guidance.
The full article provides a thorough examination of relevant case law and offers practical insights for franchise industry professionals. It serves as a valuable resource for franchisors, franchisees, and their legal counsel in navigating the complex web of contractual relationships inherent in franchise operations.
Bohan and Leiendecker emphasize that these cases are highly fact-specific and often unpredictable. Both recommend that franchisors and franchisees carefully consider potential third-party beneficiaries when drafting contracts. They suggest a proactive approach and recommend that parties mitigate uncertainty and reduce ambiguity by explicitly stating their intentions regarding third-party benefits within their contracts.
The full article, “Franchisees as Third-Party Beneficiaries to Franchisor’s Agreements with Other Franchisees or Vendors,” is available in the current issue of the Franchise Law Journal.
Copyright 2024. Published in The Franchise Law Journal, Vol. 43, No. 3, Fall 2024, by the American Bar Association. Reproduced with permission. All rights reserved. This information or any portion thereof may not be copied or disseminated in any form or by any means or stored in an electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association or the copyright holder.
Emily Bohan is an attorney in the Greenville, S.C. office of Kim Lahey & Killough. Hannah M. Leiendecker is an attorney at Faegre Drinker, practicing in the Minneapolis office.