Our people

Steven is a non-attorney professional whose practice is focused on sophisticated intellectual property matters, which he has handled for 28 years.  He is experienced in the area of forming and servicing intellectual property holding companies, and has coordinated a network of local IP associates for more than 200 countries on behalf of clients.  Steven served as the Director of the Intellectual Property Unit at American Express for 17 years. 

Steven is recommended for his experience on the brand strategy front and for advising advertising clients on trademark matters by The Legal 500 directory since 2007.  His experience includes:

• Coordinated development, maintenance and augmentation of Belvedere and Chopin Vodka trademarks, copyrights, patents and all intellectual property assets' equities in more than 200 countries worldwide, including devising worldwide client-approved list of core marks and core definitions of marks in each country
• Co-invented and coordinated marketing and securitization of US patent and copyright registrations of co-invented "Reed Smith Intellectual Property Mapping System and Method" to track and create interactive global and regional maps showing client and client adversary senior-most IP claims worldwide
• Drafted and implemented Intellectual Property Policy Statements and devised procedures to implement them, including legal compliance programs for employees in various media; seminars, booklets and online databases; and intranet versions of Policy Statements and seminars
• Developed client-approved core intellectual property lists and core definitions of marks for each trademark worldwide
• Negotiated favorable resolution of IP disputes worldwide
• Managed relations with IP investigators and all other IP service suppliers
• Managed branding and IP asset information flows for corporate IP portfolio's corporate owner executives, in-house and outside counsel worldwide, advertising agencies and marketers, and government agencies in the United States and worldwide, as well as professional associations
• Developed and managed worldwide networks of intellectual property and marketing attorneys
• Researches prepares issues and archives internal daily Reed Smith worldwide world intellectual property news review

Steven's experience also includes teaching business courses on IP management at New York University (1985 - 1995), Baruch College, CUNY (1996 - 1998), and the University of Akron School of Law (2003); and numerous speaking engagements on intellectual property; and key professional affiliations.

Publications

• Feature and News Articles, Editorials and Commentaries in: The Trademark Reporter, Trademark World, Patent World, Copyright World, The Licensing Journal, The Licensing Reporter, Editor & Publisher, Managing Intellectual Property, The Strategist, Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal, Trademarks America, Entertainments Sports Lawyer, The Licensing Letter
• Co-author, Trademark Management (Matthew Bender, 1991-1997)
• Contributor, The New Role of Intellectual Property in Commercial Transactions (John Wiley & Sons, 1994)
• Contributor, Intellectual Property in the Global Marketplace (Second Edition; John Wiley & Sons, 1999)
• Author, Riding for the Brand (American Express, 1985, 1988, 1989 and 1993)

Speeches / Presentations

• The Conference Board
• U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
• Security Industry Association Committee on Economic Education
• Ogilvy & Mather, McCan Erickson Direct, and Wundermann Ricotta advertising agencies
• Princeton, Rutgers and George Washington Universities
• U.S. Forest Service
• International Trademark Association Annual Trademark Administrators Conferences
• Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University
• University of Akron School of Law
• Center for Business Intelligence
• Institute for International Law & Business
• American Conference Institute

Experience

Professional Affiliations

• Editorial boards of The Trademark Reporter, Trademark World, Managing Intellectual Property
• International Trademark Association: Member 1984 – present; Speakers' Committee 2002 – present; Co-Chairman of TM Administrators Forum Series and speaker 1992, 2000 – 2002 and 2006; member of Planning and Speakers Committee Member for this event 2004-present; Member Education Committee 1998 – 2000; Membership Committee Chairman 1991 Member of Dilution Committee 2005-present
• American Bar Association Section on Patents, Trademarks and Copyrights: Member 1992 – present; Federal Dilution Legislation Subcommittee Chairman 1995 – 1996

With Douglas J. Wood, Steve co-invented the Firm's unique, copyrighted and US patent pending proprietary software system that provides web-enabled "snapshots" of IP portfolios. Reed Smith's Trademark Management Mapping Program (TMMP) is available only to Reed Smith clients. In 2007, TMMP was a finalist for the College of Law Practice Management's INNOVACTION Award. Both co-inventors are finalists for the WORLDLeaders Global IP Awards in the category of IP software innovation as one of only three nominations for Trademark Excellence – North America / Canada.