Gene Markin

Gene is a Shareholder in Stark & Stark’s Complex Commercial, Intellectual Property, and Cannabis Practice Groups where he concentrates his practice on complex litigation matters involving copyright protection and infringement, trademark and trade dress infringement and enforcement, trade secret litigation, false advertising, domain name disputes, unfair competition, class actions, fraud and consumer fraud, shareholder and partner disputes, breach of contract, insurance coverage disputes, cannabis business disputes, and cannabis regulatory compliance as well as provides strategic guidance and assistance to cannabis clients with respect to applying for and obtaining cannabis business licenses from the Cannabis Regulatory Commission.

Mr. Markin represents individuals and businesses in all aspects of intellectual property litigation in federal district courts, appellate courts, and state courts. Mr. Markin also represents trademark owners and challengers in trademark opposition and cancellation proceedings before the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) as well as in domain name disputes in Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) Complaints before the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and in other country-specific proceedings.

In addition, Mr. Markin’s business background and entrepreneurial spirit has propelled his involvement with the exciting cannabis and hemp industries. In this space, he counsels prospective cannabis businesses as well as existing plant-touching and ancillary businesses, including growers, cultivators, processors, distributors, dispensaries, infused-product manufacturers, suppliers, investors, and shareholders in a wide variety of legal matters ranging from intellectual property development and protection to issues pertaining to liability exposure, banking, state licensure, regulatory compliance, and insurance. Mr. Markin is a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association Cannabis Committee, the National Cannabis Bar Association, the New Jersey CannaBusiness Association, and the New Jersey Cannabis Industry Association.

He also has extensive experience litigating multi-million dollar construction defect cases involving faulty workmanship and negligent installation of exterior building envelope components. Successfully prosecuting and defending claims arising out of negligent construction, breaches of fiduciary duty by sponsor-appointed board members, violations of the New Jersey Condominium Act, the Planned Real Estate Development Full Disclosure Act, the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act, the Contractor’s Registration Act, and the New Jersey Home Improvement Practice Regulations, Mr. Markin has substantial experience dealing with a multitude of complex insurance issues that arise in litigation, including policy interpretation and analysis, liability coverage disputes, and declaratory judgment actions.

While attending law school, Mr. Markin was a member of the Drexel Law Review as well as the Drexel Law National Trial Team and competed in several competitions across the country. He was also honored with the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association James J. Manderino Award for Trial Advocacy.

Craig S. Hilliard

Craig 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.