Overview
Kelly Farnan is “a great advocate” who has “instant credibility whenever she enters the courtroom” (Chambers USA).
Kelly focuses her practice on complex commercial and intellectual property litigation in Delaware’s state and federal courts. She has been involved in numerous bench and jury trials and has also been successful in resolving disputes in her clients’ favor through dispositive motions.
Praised as “smart, aware, and responsive” (Chambers USA), Kelly focuses her IP litigation practice on complex patent disputes in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, representing national and international manufacturing, telecommunications, technology, and pharmaceutical companies. She has also represented clients in arbitrations under the Delaware Uniform Arbitration Act and by the American Arbitration Association.
Kelly is active in the Delaware chapter of the Federal Bar Association, the association through which the Delaware district court interacts with the intellectual property bar. She is past president of the Delaware chapter of the FBA and is a past participant and coordinator of the Federal Trial Practice Seminar sponsored by the district court and the FBA.
PRACTICES
Arbitration & Mediation
Intellectual Property
Commercial Litigation
Administrative Law
- College of William & Mary School of Law, J.D., 2003
- University of Richmond, B.S., Biology, 2000
Education
Publications
Legislation Would Address Abusive Patent-Litigation Tactics
Delaware Business Court Insider | February 26, 2014
On the heels of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, Congress is currently considering a number of bills designed to address abusive patent-litigation tactics associated with nonpracticing entities, often referred to as “patent trolls.”
Leadership
- Lawyers’ Advisory Committee to the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, Chair
- Federal Bar Association, Past President, Delaware Chapter
Pro Bono Activities
- Child Attorney, Delaware’s Office of the Child Advocate
- Federal Civil Panel, United States District Court for the District of Delaware
Recognition
- Chambers USA, since 2014
- IAM Patent 1000 – The World’s Leading Patent Professionals, since 2014
- The Best Lawyers in America, since 2017
- The Best Lawyers in America, Wilmington, DE Patent Litigation Lawyer of the Year, 2024, 2022, 2020; Intellectual Property Litigation Lawyer of the Year, 2021
- Benchmark Litigation, since 2017
- Super Lawyers, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2013
- Managing Intellectual Property, U.S. Litigator of the Year – Delaware, 2024
- Managing Intellectual Property, Top 250 Women in IP, 2024, 2014
- Managing Intellectual Property, Patent Star
- Delaware Today Top Lawyer, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013; Top Vote Getter, Intellectual Property, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2015
Bar Admissions
- Delaware, 2003
- New Jersey