Ismail Cem Kuru

Partner, Complex Litigation Attorney

cem@krepplaw.comLinkedIn

I am a complex litigation attorney with 9+ years in high-stakes disputes: commercial cases, HOA and condominium matters, trade secrets, and software. I litigate the firm's HOA and business cases together with Krista, and I advise unit owners on association disputes before they reach court. As part of a trial team in Silicon Valley, I helped secure a $66M trade-secret verdict. I bring that experience, along with in-house counsel and industrial engineering backgrounds, to a practice with firm-level capability and boutique responsiveness.

I am both a practicing attorney and a working software engineer. I build AI-powered systems and ship production code, and that hands-on technical fluency is exactly what makes me effective in software trade-secret cases, source-code disputes, and AI-related IP litigation. When the dispute is in the codebase, I can read it.

Complex LitigationHOA & Condo LitigationCommercial LitigationTrialsTrade SecretsIP & Software LitigationChicago

Admission

  • Illinois
  • Northern District of Illinois Federal Court, General Bar

Education

  • J.D. — University of Illinois, summa cum laude
  • M.S. in Industrial Engineering — Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
  • B.S. in Industrial Engineering — Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Ismail Cem Kuru, Partner, Complex Litigation Attorney at The Law Office of Krista Krepp

Writing by Cem on Critical Findings

1 min read

The Law Office of Krista Krepp Is Becoming Krepp Kuru & Associates

Our firm is adopting a new name: Krepp Kuru & Associates. Same attorneys, same cases, same contact information. Here is what is changing and what is not.

AnnouncementsFirm News
20 min read

Illinois' New Collection Policy Law: No Written Policy, No Collection Lawsuit

Public Act 104-0734 bars Illinois condo and HOA associations from taking legal action over unpaid assessments unless they have adopted and follow a written collection policy. Effective January 1, 2027. What the policy must contain, what it is worth to a unit owner, and the case law that cuts against it.

HOA DisputesCondominium LawIllinois LawCondominium Property ActCommon Interest Community Association ActAssessmentsCollectionsUnit Owner RightsChicago
12 min read

Illinois' New Association Transparency Law: Your Board Must Have a Website by 2028

Public Act 104-0797 requires Illinois condo and HOA boards to run a website by January 1, 2028 and to email owners the annual financials. Here is what unit owners actually get, what was cut in Springfield, and the one step to take this week.

HOA DisputesCondominium LawIllinois LawCondominium Property ActCommon Interest Community Association ActUnit Owner RightsChicago
9 min read

A Departing Employee Took Your Source Code: Trade Secret Claims in Illinois

When an employee leaves with source code, customer data, or your product roadmap, Illinois companies have two powerful statutes to work with. What the DTSA and ITSA require, and why the first 72 hours matter.

Trade SecretsSoftware LitigationDTSAIllinois Trade Secrets ActStartupsIP LitigationTechnologyEmployment
9 min read

Sued in a Schedule A Case? What Online Sellers Should Do When Their Accounts Get Frozen

Your marketplace account was frozen and you have been named in a Schedule A trademark lawsuit in Chicago federal court. Here are your options, your deadlines, and the defenses that work.

Schedule A LitigationTrademark InfringementIP LitigationNorthern District of IllinoisE-CommerceAsset FreezeOnline Sellers
8 min read

Your Schedule A Case Just Got Harder: What Chrome Hearts Means for Brand Owners

A new NDIL ruling severs defendants from a Schedule A trademark case. What brand owners need to know about joinder limits in online counterfeiting enforcement.

Trademark InfringementIP LitigationSchedule A LitigationCounterfeitingNorthern District of IllinoisTrademark EnforcementBusiness Law
19 min read

Who Owns AI-Generated Content? Copyright Law and Artificial Intelligence in 2026

Can you copyright AI-generated content? We break down the human authorship requirement, the Copyright Office's 2025 guidance, and practical steps Illinois businesses should take.

Artificial IntelligenceCopyrightSoftware LitigationIP LawCopyright RegistrationBusiness LawIllinois
8 min read

Protecting Your Startup's Intellectual Property in Chicago: Patents, Trademarks, and Trade Secrets

A practical guide for Chicago startups on building an IP foundation from day one: when patents make sense, why trademarks come first, how trade secrets actually get protected, and the cofounder mistake that kills deals.

Intellectual PropertyStartupsTrade SecretsTrademarksPatentsChicagoTechnology
2 min read

Welcome to Critical Findings

Introducing Critical Findings, our firm's blog tracking developments in Illinois and federal law across our litigation practice, from HOA and condominium disputes to commercial litigation, real estate, employment, and trade secrets.

AnnouncementsFirm NewsIllinois Law

Let's Connect

Whether you're a homeowner standing up to an HOA, a business owner facing a commercial dispute, or an attorney looking for trial counsel on your client's case, we are ready to help.

Based in Chicago. Licensed in Illinois and Wisconsin. Serving clients nationwide.

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1111 N Spaulding Ave

Chicago, IL 60651