Overview
Rob is Senior Counsel in McDonald Hopkins’ Intellectual Property Department. He has almost two decades of experience in creating, managing and leveraging patents, trademarks, trade secrets, and other intellectual assets, and has extensive practical experience in electrochemical, electromechanical, and basic mechanical technologies. Rob routinely works with clients to develop comprehensive strategies, foster ideas, draft contracts, spark innovation, and secure patents, copyrights, and trademarks in key jurisdictions around the globe. He also strives to identify solutions by way of engagement, negotiation, or litigation, and he specializes in counseling clients on best practices wherever technology, commercial, and legal interests intersect.
In addition to his time at McDonald Hopkins, Rob has extensive in-house experience. He served as patent counsel at Energizer Holdings for 10 years, where he was responsible for developing and executing patent strategies for several separate business units and product lines. His work at Energizer also included writing and prosecuting U.S. utility and design applications, managing the work of an international network of associates, reviewing agreements, providing clearance opinions and related business advice, and overseeing litigation—including successfully securing a preliminary injunction against a major competitor. Rob also engaged in extensive international actions, including oversight of numerous European Patent Office opposition and appellate proceedings, and investigatory discussions on infringement cases in the People’s Republic of China, Germany, and Belgium. He also led negotiations focused on licensing technology from a supplier in connection with the rollout of Energizer’s now-defunct “EcoAdvanced” alkaline battery (made from recycled batteries) and advised Energizer on a number of government contracts, primarily with military entities.
Prior to Energizer, Rob served as patent counsel for Babcock & Wilcox, where he wrote numerous patent applications, supported the attempted launch of a solid oxide fuel cell entity, and worked extensively on intellectual property matters for various Department of Energy contracts.
Rob earned a J.D. from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law in 1998. He received a B.S. in chemistry, cum laude, from Ohio University in 1994.
Credentials
Education
The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
Ohio University
Admissions – Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Admissions – State
- Ohio
Professional & Civic
Professional Activities
Cleveland Intellectual Property Law Association