Russell M. Racine (Russ) focuses his practice in the areas of intellectual property, professional liability, aviation, and insurance in state and Federal courts in both North Carolina and South Carolina. His background and experience allow him to strategically represent and advise clients in all aspects of disputes, including how to resolve conflicts and avoid litigation.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Russ Racine serves as the Chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group and represents clients in all aspects of intellectual property. Russ helps clients navigate the challenges of both enforcing their intellectual property rights and defending against allegations of infringement from others. Russ litigates cases related to patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade dress, and trade secrets in North and South Carolina, and federal courts throughout the southeast. Russ routinely defends insureds against advertising injury allegations including violations of the Lanham Act, unfair competition and deceptive trade practices, libel, defamation, and invasion of privacy. In addition to litigating advertising injury and intellectual property cases, Russ routinely counsels clients on how best to obtain trademark registrations, domestically and internationally, and how to deal with other parties who are infringing or about to infringe his client’s intellectual property. As a key part of protecting clients’ assets, he counsels his clients regarding the best strategies to protect, maintain, and expand their intellectual property rights.
As a licensed patent attorney for almost 20 years, Russ has represented clients at the United States Patent and Trademark Office and helped with securing patents in numerous areas of art including chemical, mechanical, pharmaceutical, automotive, water purification, industrial, and medical devices. Additionally, he has represented clients in proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board and Internet-related matters involving domain disputes, website infringements, cybersquatting, and false advertising. Russ also guides his clients in ways to avoid litigation and assists with resolving disputes before litigation becomes necessary via licensing, contracts, and other pre-suit resolutions. He recognizes that many businesses benefit from early attempts to resolve intellectual property issues before they become lawsuits and guides clients in preparing and negotiating contracts that protect their intellectual property rights.
Russ has represented a broad range of clients from individuals to Fortune 100 companies. In 2020 Russ became a member of Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite Hall of Fame as the overall winner in Intellectual Property.
PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY
Russ also represents clients in the area of professional liability in state and Federal courts in both North Carolina and South Carolina. He defends professionals accused of negligence, malpractice, and other violations of their professional duties. Russ has represented real estate agents and brokers, directors and officers, and claims administrators and other insurance professionals. He has also represented attorneys accused of professional malpractice in claims repair and malpractice actions.
AVIATION & INSURANCE
In addition to his intellectual and professional liability practice, Russ has also worked on aviation and insurance matters including wrongful death actions involving airplanes, tractor-trailers, cars, and motorcycles. He regularly advises and counsels clients regarding all forms of alternative dispute resolution. He is a member of the Cranfill Sumner COVID-19 Response Team.
*Cases or matters referenced do not represent the attorney’s entire record. Each case is unique and must be evaluated on its own merits. The outcome of a particular case cannot be predicated upon a lawyer’s or a law firm’s past results.
Most Recent Posts
Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Discuss International Intellectual Property Management
Russ Racine and Charlie Raphun presented at the May 12 Export Coffee Talk webinar about International Intellectual Property Management. The event was hosted by the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina.… Read More
Russ Racine Leads Cranfill Conversation About Advertising Injury Claims
Russ Racine led the Sept. 8 Cranfill Conversation about Advertising Injury Claims. The discussion was a follow up to his Aug. 18 webinar based on the same topic.… Read More
Russ Racine Presents Advertising Injury Claims Webinar
On Aug. 18, Russ Racine presented the “Advertising Injury Claims” webinar as part of the Cranfill Sumner LLP webinar series. … Read More
Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Participate in 4ALL Statewide Service Day
Members of the Cranfill Sumner LLP offices participated in the North Carolina Bar Foundation’s 15th Annual 4ALL Statewide Service Day on Friday, March 4. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the event was held virtually this year.… Read More
Cranfill Sumner LLP Attorneys Listed Among 2022 Legal Elite
Eight Cranfill Sumner LLP attorneys were recognized by Business North Carolina magazine as part of the magazine’s Legal Elite program. … Read More
CSH Law Attorneys Presented at CWTA & CIAS Webinar
Russ Racine and Mica Nguyen Worthy, attorneys at Cranfill Sumner LLP (CSH Law), presented on International Trade Business Contracts: 2021 International Arbitration Trends at the April 21st meeting of the Carolina World Trade Association (CWTA) in conjunction with the Charlotte International Arbitration Society (CIAS).… Read More
Supreme Court Rules that a Generic Term Combined with “.com” is Protectable
Recently the Supreme Court affirmed registration on the principal register for what appeared to be a generic term. In United States… Read More
Cranfill Sumner Launches COVID-19 Response Team
Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog LLP (Cranfill Sumner) announced the creation of its COVID-19 Response Team. The team is comprised of… Read More
Seven Actions for Protecting your Brand During the COVID-19 Crisis
COVID-19 is responsible for the most disruptive time for business in recent history. Not only are many small businesses under… Read More
Cranfill Sumner Staff Members Participate in 4ALL Statewide Service Day
Members of the Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) offices participated in the North Carolina Bar Foundation’s 13th Annual 4ALL Statewide Service Day on Friday, March 6.… Read More
Russell Racine Chosen as Legal Elite Overall Winner in Intellectual Property
Russell Racine, a partner at Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner), was recently recognized as the Overall Winner in Intellectual Property by the 2020 Legal Elite from Business North Carolina magazine. As an Overall Winner, Russ is now a member of the Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite Hall of Fame.… Read More
Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Listed Among 2020 Legal Elite
Seven Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) attorneys were recognized by Business North Carolina magazine as part of the magazine’s Legal Elite program.… Read More
Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Listed Among 2019 Legal Elite
Six Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) attorneys were recognized by Business North Carolina magazine as part of the magazine’s Legal Elite program.… Read More
4ALL Statewide Service Day
Attorneys from the offices of Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) participated in the North Carolina Bar Association’s 11th Annual 4ALL Statewide Service Day on Friday, March 2.… Read More
Cranfill Sumner LLP Names Two New Partners
Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) today announced that Jerri Simmons and Russ Racine have been named partners in the firm. Both attorneys are based in the firm’s Charlotte office.… Read More
Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Listed Among 2018 Legal Elite
Seven Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) attorneys were recognized by Business North Carolina magazine as part of the magazine’s Legal Elite program.… Read More
Russ Racine to Speak at TAP Talk
Russ Racine, Of Counsel with Cranfill Sumner LLP, will present at the Nov. 14 TAP Talk presented by the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association. The event will be held at the Pitt Community College Small Business Center in Greenville.… Read More
Russ Racine to Speak at NCRMA TAP Talk
Russ Racine, an attorney in the Charlotte office of Cranfill Sumner LLP, will speak at the April 20th TAP Talk sponsored by the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association. Russ will be presenting “Tips for Navigating Intellectual Property Issues for Retail Businesses” to North Carolina business owners. … Read More
Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Receive AV Rating From Martindale-Hubbell
Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) today announced that 11 attorneys have recently received an AV® Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.… Read More
Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Participate in 4ALL Statewide Service Day
Six attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) participated in the North Carolina Bar Association’s 10th Annual 4ALL Statewide Service Day on Friday, March 3. The statewide event is sponsored by the North Carolina Bar Association Foundation and the North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA).… Read More
Summary Judgment Granted in Action Against Real Estate Agents
Russ Racine, Virginia Wooten, and Meredith FitzGibbon obtained Summary Judgment for a North Carolina real estate agent and her employer… Read More
Russ Racine to Present at NCRMA TAP Talks
Russ Racine, an attorney in the Charlotte office of Cranfill Sumner LLP, will serve as a featured speaker at the Raleigh and Charlotte editions of TAP Talks. TAP Talks is an event sponsored by the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association. … Read More
Russ Racine to Speak at NCRMA TAP Talk Seminar
Russ Racine, an attorney in the Charlotte office of Cranfill Sumner LLP, will be a featured speaker at the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association Retail TAP Talk. The seminars offer information for retail businesses from marketing, legal and insurance perspectives. Russ will discuss “Intellectual Property Issues for Retail Businesses.”… Read More
Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Participate in 4ALL Statewide Service Day
Eight attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) participated in the North Carolina Bar Association’s 9th Annual 4ALL Statewide Service Day on Friday, March 4. The statewide event is sponsored by the North Carolina Bar Association Foundation and the North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA).… Read More
Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Participate in 4ALL Statewide Service Day
Eleven attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) participated in the North Carolina Bar Association’s 8th Annual 4ALL Statewide Service Day on Friday, March 6. … Read More
Russ Racine Joins Cranfill Sumner Charlotte
Russ Racine has joined Cranfill Sumner, where he will focus his practice in the areas of Aviation Law, Construction, Criminal Defense and Intellectual Property.… Read More