SOUTHFIELD, Mich., – Brooks Kushman Shareholder Christopher Smith was recently re-appointed as the Vice Chair of Licensing and Related Issues for the Intellectual Property Owner Association (IPO) Patent Licensing Committee for 2023 by the IPO Board.
The Patent Licensing Committee includes several members from across the country who focus on intellectual property licensing and related matters and issues. The committee provides members the opportunity for discussion, review and analysis of topics or issues associated with patent, technology/trade secret, software/copyright/open source and trademark licensing; cross and joint licensing; licensing for income or other business value; industry and market trends; best practices; agreements and agreement provisions; impact or relevance of bankruptcy, anti-trust, standards, and compulsory licensing. The committee also works with other IPO committees on issue pertaining to standards, anti-trust, and other areas of mutual interest.
As Vice Chair, Smith will help prepare and promote programming offered by the committee. During previous terms, he participated on panels that examined licensing issues such as: best practices for supplier agreements; issues pertaining to standard essential patents for 5G; and unintended consequences of certain IP licensing provisions/language. Smith has been a member of the IP Licensing Committee for 6 years and has also held the role of Secretary in the committee.
Smith concentrates his practice on intellectual property litigation, with a primary emphasis on patent litigation. In addition to litigation, Smith is involved with the preparation of invalidity and infringement opinions and licensing disputes. Smith has represented clients from Fortune 500 companies to startups and individual inventors in a wide variety of industries and technologies including: (1) automotive, including infotainment; (2) medical devices; (3) internet, including content delivery networks; and (4) telecommunications, including fiber optics.
The IPO is a trade association for owners of patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets. IPO is the only association in the U.S. that serves all intellectual property owners in all industries and all fields of technology. Established in 1972, the organization is composed of about 200 companies and more than 12,000 individuals.
About Brooks Kushman P.C.
Brooks Kushman P.C. is a premier intellectual property (IP) and technology law firm dedicated to the advancement and protection of innovations and brands that propel businesses around the world. With offices in Michigan and California, we work alongside corporations, small to medium sized businesses, and leading universities to protect their intellectual property assets. Our attorneys have a broad range of experience in industries and technologies, including consumer electronics, manufacturing, medical device, computer technology, aerospace, chemicals, biotechnology, and retail.
Brooks Kushman counts a number of Fortune 100 companies across a variety of industries among its clients. The firm is also recognized by leading legal publications and rankings, including Corporate Counsel magazine, U.S. News & World Report, Law360, Intellectual Asset Management, Managing Intellectual Property, and Intellectual Property Today. For more information, please visit www.BrooksKushman.com.
