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Practices

Biography

John is a highly skilled patent litigator with an impressive track record in handling patent cases as well as trademark, copyright, trade secrets, unfair competition, and other intellectual property (IP) claims. As Service Team Leader for FBT’s IP Litigation team, he consistently delivers successful outcomes for his clients through his meticulous preparation and exceptional communication skills.  His legal background spans across numerous technologies, and he has represented clients in cases before federal district courts across the United States, including in the largest patent multidistrict litigation in history. John has also appeared before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB), and the International Trade Commission (ITC). Additionally, he serves as monitoring counsel for patent litigation insurers.

John has received national acclaim in The Best Lawyers in America for both Patent Litigation and Intellectual Property Litigation. In Ohio, Benchmark Litigation honored him as a State Litigation Star in 2022 and 2023, while in Cincinnati, Best Lawyers awarded him the Patent Litigation Lawyer of the Year in 2019 and 2023 and the Intellectual Property Lawyer of the Year in 2021. Chambers USA ranks John among Ohio’s Leaders in Their Field in Intellectual Property. Furthermore, he is a consistent presence on the Ohio Super Lawyers list for intellectual property litigation and has earned an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, signifying exceptional legal ability and professional ethics.

As co-chair of the Cincinnati Bar Association’s IP Litigation Committee, John actively contributes to the field by speaking and writing on various intellectual property topics. He also enjoys sharing his experience as an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Law.

Other Info About John

Experience

Legal Work Highlights

Arunachalam v. Axcess Financial Services, Inc., D. Del. Case No. 1:13-cv-01335; Axcess Financial Services, Inc. v. Pi-Net International, Inc., SD Ohio Case No. 14-cv-00319. Defended accused infringer against patent claims related to Internet communications technologies.

In the Matter of Certain Computer Forensic Devices and Products Containing the Same, International Trade Commission, Case No. 337-TA-799. Defended accused infringer against patent claims related to computer forensics technologies.

Katz Interactive Call Processing Patent Litigation, CD California Case No. 2:07-ml-01816. Defended accused infringer in largest multidistrict litigation in U.S. history against patent claims involving portfolio of more than 50 patents relating to automated call distributors, interactive voice response products, computer telephone integration, and speech recognition.

Patent Harbor, LLC v. Audiovox Corporation, ED Texas, Case No. 6:10-cv-00361. Defended accused infringer against patent claims related to DVD scene selection menus.

Huhtamaki, Inc. v. PWP Industries, Inc., SD Ohio, Case No. 1:09-cv-795. Represented patent owner against accused infringer related to food packaging technology in declaratory judgment action.

Info-Hold, Inc. v. Muzak Holdings LLC, et al., SD Ohio, Case No. 1:11-cv-283. Defended accused infringer against patent claims related to on-hold music telephone systems.

TV Interactive Data Corporation v. Sony Corporation, et al., ND California, Case No. 5:10-cv-00475. Defended accused infringers against patent claims related to DVD technology.

DNA Diagnostics Center, Inc. v. Pam Brown, Hamilton County, Ohio, Case No. A0702962. Represented trade secret owner against former employee for alleged trade secret misappropriation and breach of noncompete agreement.

R+L Carriers, Inc. v. Pegasus Transtech Corp., SD Ohio Case No. SD OH, 1:09-cv-00177-SJD. Defended accused infringer in multidistrict litigation against patent claims related to transportation logistics technologies.

Kroger Co. v. Ateb, SD Ohio, Case No. 1:2009-cv-00196. Represented accused infringer in dispute concerning alleged indemnity obligations arising from patent case.

Medversant Technologies, LLC v. Morrisey Associates, Inc., CD California Case No. 2:09-cv-05031. Represented patent owner against accused infringers related to networking and medical practitioner verification technologies.

Cincinnati Bell Inc. v. Traffic Information LLC, Oregon, Case No. 3:10-cv-01453. Defended accused infringer against patent claims related to technologies for monitoring traffic information over a network.

EON Corp. IP Holdings, LLC v. T-Mobile USA, Inc. et al., ED Texas, Case No. 6:10-cv-00379. Defended accused infringer against patent claims related to interactive video networks.

Arrivalstar S.A. et al v. Trailer Bridge, Inc. et al., MD Florida, Case No. 8:09-cv-01307; Cincinnati Bell, Inc. v. Arrivalstar S.A., SD of Ohio, Case No. 1:11-cv-00274. Defended accused infringers against patent claims related to vehicle status reporting systems.

GeoTag v. Medicine Shoppe, ED of Texas Case No. 2:11-cv-404; ISwitch, LLC v. Cincinnati Bell Inc., ED Texas, Case No. 6:12-cv-118. Defended accused infringer against patent claims related to Internet technologies Defended accused infringer against patent claims related to telephone encryption technologies.

Swipe Innovations, LLC v. Elavon, Inc., ED Texas, Case No. 9:12-cv-0040. Defended accused infringer against patent claims related to technologies allowing secure financial transactions over a network.

Stagecraft Costuming Inc., v. Househaunters, et al., SD of Ohio Case No. 1:10-cv-00917. Represented copyright owner of costume against accused infringers.

Allure Jewelers, Inc. v. Ulu, et al., SD Ohio Case No. 1:12-cv-00091-MRB. Defended ISP against claims for accused copyright infringement.

Transicoil LLC v. Aaxico Sales Inc., et al., SD Florida Case No. 1:10-cv-24427-PAS. Represented aircraft parts supplier against company for unfair business practices related to alleged PMA misuse.

Situs, Inc. v. Situs Realty Corp., SD Indiana Case No. 1:09-cv-01570· Represented trademark owner against accused infringer.

Newport Corporation v. Lighthouse Photonics Inc., CD California, Case No. 8:12-cv-00719. Represented patent owner against accused infringers related to laser technologies.

Tesseron, Ltd. v. Punch International NV et al., MD Florida, Case No. 6:10-cv-00909. Represented patent owner against accused infringer related to variable data printing technology.

dunnhumby USA, LLC v. emnos USA Corporation, ND Illinois Case No. 1:13-cv-00399. Represented patent owner against accused infringer related to technology for analyzing compilations of retail sales data over a network.

CWC v. Hugo Boss, ED Texas Case No. 6:12-cv-00674. Defended accused infringer against patent claims related to Internet technologies.

Verint Systems, Inc. v. CallCopy, Inc., D. Del. Case No. 1:13-cv-00562. Defended accused infringer against patent claims related to technologies for recording and monitoring of call centers.

Kohus v. Graco Children’s Products, Inc., et al., SD Ohio Case No. 1:09-cv-503. Represented copyright owner against alleged infringement related to consumer baby products.

Education

Law School

University of Cincinnati College of Law, J.D., 2001

Undergraduate School

University of Saint Thomas, B.A., Political Science, cum laude, 1996

Bar Memberships

John is licensed to practice in the following state(s):

Ohio

Courts

John is admitted to practice before the following court(s):

U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio

U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio

Recognition

Local & National Recognition

World Trademark Review, WTR 1000, – The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals, 2023

Selected for inclusion in Ohio Super Lawyers® 2017-2024 – Top 50 in Cincinnati, 2024

Chambers USA, Ohio, Intellectual Property, 2020-2023

Benchmark Litigation, “State Litigation Star”, Ohio, 2022-2023

The Best Lawyers in America®: Litigation – Intellectual Property; Litigation – Patent, 2018-2024; Patent “Lawyer of the Year” in Cincinnati, 2019; 2023, and Litigation – Intellectual Property “Lawyer of the Year”, 2021; 2024

Martindale-Hubbell, AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated

Cincy Magazine, Leading Lawyer in Intellectual Property Litigation, 2019- 2023

Super Lawyers Rising Stars, Ohio, 2010-2011

Professional Affiliations

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

American Bar Association

Ohio State Bar Association

Cincinnati Bar Association (Intellectual Property Litigation Practice Committee, Chair)

Cincinnati Intellectual Property Law Association (Programming Committee, Member)

Presentations

John was invited to speak at the following events:

Eighth Annual Supreme Court Roundup, Cincinnati Bar Association IP Litigation Committee, August 2021

Supreme Court Roundup and Other Interesting Cases, Cincinnati Bar Association, August 2016

Software Patents: A Moving Target, The Circuit, October 2015

Second Annual Supreme Court Roundup: 5 Cases in One Term, Cincinnati Bar Association, August 2015

How to Use Decision Trees to Help Determine Settlement Value, Cincinnati Bar Association’s Intellectual Property Litigation Committee, May 2015

IP Law 101: What Labor & Employment Attorneys Need to Know, panelist, Cincinnati Bar Association, December 2014

Software Patents: A Moving Target, panelist, eKickstart program, November 2014

Supreme Court Roundup: 10 Cases in One Term, Cincinnati Bar Association’s IP Litigation Committee, July 2014

Understanding and Managing Patent Litigation—And Why Patent Trolls Can Really Be Scary, Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC), May 2014

Current US Legislative, Administrative and Judicial Proposals–Dealing with Trolls and Other Issues, Cincinnati Intellectual Property Law Association, February 2014

Ohio Covenants Not To Compete, Cincinnati Bar Association, April 2013

Proving Disgorgement Damages in a Copyright Infringement Case, Cincinnati Bar Association, April 2011

Major Publications

John is an author or contributor to the following publications:

Author: “Patents Part I: A Primer for the General Practitioner,” Cincinnati Bar Association: CBA Report, November 2014

Author: “Trade Secrets: A Primer for the General Practitioner,” Cincinnati Bar Association: CBA Report, October 2014

Author: “Intellectual Property: A Primer for the General Practitioner,” Cincinnati Bar Association CBA Report, July 2014

Co-Author: “IP In Our Backyard”, Cincinnati Bar Association’: CincyIP Newsletter, April 2013

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