Craig S. Hilliard is a Shareholder in the Commercial Litigation Group and Chair of the Intellectual Property Litigation Group. He also serves as General Counsel to the law firm.
Mr. Hilliard concentrates his practice in the area of federal civil litigation, including class actions, fraud, securities, employment, copyright/trademark, and other complex civil litigation. Prior to joining Stark & Stark, he served as a law clerk for United States District Court Judge Garrett E. Brown, Jr. and then practiced law at a large international law firm in New York City. Mr. Hilliard is a certified mediator with the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, and has successfully mediated dozens of cases for the Court.
Mr. Hilliard has served as trial counsel in some of the largest class actions in the country, including, In re Bennett Funding Group Securities Litigation and Scheck Investments v. Kensington Management, Inc. Mr. Hilliard has tried dozens of jury trials, bench trials, and arbitration proceedings throughout his career, handling cases as lead counsel in both federal and state courts in over 25 states. He has also argued appeals in state supreme courts and federal appeals courts including the Second, Third, and Ninth Circuits.
Mr. Hilliard has litigated copyright and trademark cases for some of the largest apparel manufacturers and designers in the world, and he is counsel to the largest trade association in the formalwear industry. In that capacity, he has focused his practice most recently on the challenges posed by the global growth of internet-based counterfeiting and unfair competition. His work for his clients has included intensive lobbying activities at the state and federal levels, along with successful litigation in a number of federal courts.
For well over a decade, Mr. Hilliard has been a Certified Mediator for the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. He is also a frequent lecturer and author of materials for ICLE, Lorman Education Services, and The National Business Institute. Additionally, Mr. Hilliard is an adjunct Professor of Law for Rutgers University for Trial Advocacy.
Representative Experience
*Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances*
Among the matters Mr. Hilliard has handled are the following:
- The successful prosecution of trademark infringement and unfair competition claims against over 1,500 internet websites selling counterfeit wedding and prom dresses. Mr. Hilliard led the team which secured over $2 million* in judgments and federal court orders shutting down the websites, and securing permanent injunctive relief.
- Won a jury verdict for compensatory and punitive damages on behalf of an apparel manufacturer for copyright and trademark infringement against a competitor. The verdict was upheld on appeal by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the matter settled shortly thereafter.
- Won a jury verdict for compensatory and punitive damages on behalf of employees for discrimination against a cable television network and its top executive. The matter settled shortly after trial.
- Won a trial in U.S. Bankruptcy Court on behalf of a group of investors for fraud against an investment professional, recovering a judgment of $500,000* in damages and attorney’s fees.
- Won a trial in New Jersey Superior Court on behalf of an executive, recovering a judgment of $1 million* against his employer for breach of contract.
- Won a trial in New Jersey Superior Court on behalf of investors in a franchise, recovering a $500,000* judgment against the owner of the franchise for fraud and breach of contract.
- Won summary judgment for copyright infringement on behalf of a software designer against the State of Illinois’ second largest school district.
- Won dismissal of a class action in New Jersey Superior Court brought against a national finance company by a group of New Jersey consumers. The case was dismissed during the class certification phase.
- Hilliard successfully represented a Fortune 100 luxury homebuilder in several consumer fraud cases.
- Won summary judgment in an antitrust case against scuba diving equipment manufacturers, which alleged a group boycott. Mr. Hilliard successfully argued the appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
- Won reversal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit of a judgment which had been entered against a company. Mr. Hilliard successfully argued that the judgment had been entered improperly without due process.
- Successfully represented the Resolution Trust Corporation in securing a trial verdict for damages against commercial loan borrowers of a failed savings and loan association.
- Successfully represented the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in securing summary judgment against commercial loan borrowers of a failed bank.
- Won dismissal on summary judgment of claims brought by an actor against a casting company for discrimination.
- Successfully secured the appointment of his client as the judgment creditor receiver for a hotel complex in upstate New York.
- Successfully defended one of the country’s largest advertising agencies on claims of fraud and wrongful termination by a former executive of the agency, following a lengthy bench trial.
- Secured a favorable settlement of claims against the owners of a New Jersey radio station after a 9-month long trial in New Jersey Superior Court, Chancery Division.
- Represented a partner of a staffing company in the defense of claims brought in U.S. District Court by another partner for fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and theft of trade secrets.
- Successfully defended a Fortune 50 company at trial on claims for breach of a long-term real property lease.
*Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances*
