Christine Wilkes Beninati has been involved in intellectual property law for more than two decades- in-house with United Technologies Corporation, receiving enterprise-wide recognition for productivity and leadership, and in private practice- giving her a full business and legal perspective and enriching her counsel to clients, which include industry-leading multinationals involved in significant domestic and international corporate intellectual property activities. 

She has experience in a full range of intellectual property law matters, with a particular emphasis on domestic and international patent prosecution, strategic patent portfolio development and management, opinions, client counseling and litigation assistance including preparing/reviewing complaints, drafting claim charts, claim construction analyses, Markman Hearings and handling Hatch-Waxman related matters such as Paragraph IV certifications. Christine has significant experience before the Patent Trials and Appeal Board (PTAB) including numerous appeals, as well as having helped successfully navigate her client through a complex series of reexamination proceedings followed by post grant review (PGR) proceedings at the PTAB with concurrent patent litigation. She also has experience in agreement work including settlement, supply and non-disclosure agreements, and conducting due diligence investigations.

Her legal experience spans industries including metallurgical, chemical, mechanical and computer/electrical arts, and she has hands-on patent experience in many technologies, including: gas turbine engine technology such as superalloy compositions, thermal barrier coatings, composites, repair processes, airfoil design, single crystal and wing/pylon design; cosmetics such as kits and formulations; direct reduction of iron processes and systems; research tools; pharmaceutical formulations; thin films; textile products; batteries; food compositions; surface modification technology; automotive components; biodegradable prosthetic devices; power cables; hydrogen storage beds; chemical processes; polycarbonates; expansion joint systems, telecommunications and other electronic devices; and computer systems.

Professional Affiliations

• New York Intellectual Property Law Association, Member
• International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys, Member
• Charlotte National Charity League, Founding Member
• Carolinas Chapter of ChIPs, Founding Member & Member of Leadership Team
• SEMI

Community/Civic Involvement

Charlotte National Charity League
Recipient of Award for the most Mother-Daughter philanthropy hours serving the community