This week’s 5Q features Justin Krieger, managing partner of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP’s Denver office, where his practice area is intellectual property.
Regarding paper vs. digital briefs, Krieger says, “Having paper is ideal when doing a deep-dive into documents, but the flexibility of digital and the benefits of text searching can be critical at trial.” For trial prep, Krieger advises that “trading coffee for herbal tea ensures your opening statement doesn’t sound like Alvin and the Chipmunks, allowing for the slow, deliberate and well-thought-out delivery that actually keeps the jury — and the court reporter — on your side.”
Question 1: What’s your favorite outdoor activity in Colorado?
Krieger: Enjoying the perfect transition from an evening campfire to a morning hike and enjoying the high-altitude sun!
Q2: What’s your favorite indoor activity in Colorado?
Krieger: Finding a way to get outdoors.
Q3: What’s something you know now that you wish you’d known when you began practicing?
Krieger: The importance of maintaining early contacts. Cultivating the relationships you build early in your career is like tending to a long-term investment; those initial connections often evolve into the most trusted sounding boards and reliable advocates you’ll ever have.
Q4: What legal issue do you think will matter most in the next 10 years?
Krieger: In patent law, the most critical challenge over the next decade will be ensuring the Patent Trial and Appeal Board remains a viable, lower-cost forum for adjudicating patent validity. Resolving the current instability around discretionary denials and institution standards is essential to prevent the system from regressing into a “district court or bust” model. Without a reliable administrative alternative, the prohibitive costs of traditional litigation will continue to favor those with the deepest pockets, stifling innovation by making it nearly impossible for parties to efficiently challenge “problem patents.”
Q5: What does “justice” mean to you?
Krieger: Early in my career, I learned that justice does not always prevail in civil litigation. Frequently, the prevailing party wins by tactically outspending the other party. Justice means ensuring the scales aren’t tipped by power of the pocketbook and standing up for the underdog to ensure that their voice is heard.
Krieger, who has been in his position for 26 years, attended the University of Florida.
Law Week Colorado invites Colorado lawyers, paralegals, judges, law professors and other legal professionals to share their insights and experiences with the community with our weekly 5Q Questionnaire.
Responses may be edited for clarity and length and will be published in the order received. Your patience is appreciated. If you have questions, email [email protected].