"Calfee, Halter & Griswold makes IP and patent work easy. They have become an essential part of our IP team."
Calfee client quote, U.S. News – Best Lawyers in “Best Law Firms” report
Overview
Calfee has one of the largest Intellectual Property and Information Technology practices in a general practice firm within the Midwest. Our IP group has broad experience and a deep bench in prosecution, litigation, opinions, IP business strategy, and counseling.
Of the 40+ skilled attorneys, patent agents, and paralegals in Calfee's Intellectual Property practice, more than 30 are registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. We have nearly 25,000 active patents and trademarks on our dockets, more than 15,000 of which are international. Our team has handled filings in 190+ countries.
In addition to the comprehensive nature of our expertise, there are at least three distinct reasons why we believe our lawyers provide significant added value when representing intellectual property clients:
- Calfee’s Intellectual Property lawyers are integrated within our general corporate firm. Many businesses historically have chosen boutique intellectual property firms to handle their trademark and patent portfolios. While the Intellectual Property group at Calfee functions in many ways as if it were a distinct boutique "firm within a firm," our close working relationships with lawyers in other practice groups inform and cross-fertilize a business-oriented view of intellectual property matters. This business orientation results in efficient and informed involvement by intellectual property counsel, not only in formulating and implementing strategic portfolio management, but also in counseling on acquisitions or divestitures, joint ventures, strategic partnerships, licensing arrangements, and even general contracting matters.
- The strength and experience of our Litigation practice also inform our overall approach to intellectual property law. While litigation is rarely desirable to our clients, the intellectual property dispute resolution experience of our lawyers is invaluable in a client counseling role. It allows us to anticipate potential portfolio development and management problems that other lawyers might not foresee, and it allows us to help our clients either avoid disputes or optimize their position when litigation becomes necessary or unavoidable. It also allows us, when preparing and prosecuting patent applications, to obtain broad protection and to ensure the validity and enforceability of patent claims.
- Not only has Calfee been an “entrepreneur’s law firm” throughout its history, but the Intellectual Property group is also a success story of legal entrepreneurship. Our entrepreneurial heritage also has taught us to live by a proactive service model that is beneficial to all our clients, from closely held companies to public entities. We strive to update our clients consistently and promptly on pertinent developments and risks associated with their businesses. We are dedicated to swift and responsive communication with our clients, and we believe this results in more efficient performance of legal work, strong relationships with clients, and high levels of client satisfaction.
Most of the lawyers in our practice have undergraduate and/or graduate degrees in engineering (mechanical, aerospace, electrical, nuclear, computer, biomedical, or chemical), chemistry, biochemistry, materials science, or the biological sciences. Our intellectual property attorneys offer a unique combination of technical capabilities and strong communication skills with pragmatic business counseling. Many of our attorneys have decades of experience practicing IP law.
Our Intellectual Property practice develops and protects the intellectual property and technology assets of a broad spectrum of clients. We conduct patent and trademark searches; prepare and prosecute U.S. and international patent, trademark, and copyright applications; and work with clients to maintain and enforce issued patents and registered trademarks. We also handle intellectual property disputes and litigation, including before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board and appeals to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. We litigate and help resolve issues of infringement (patent, trademark, and copyright), trademark oppositions and cancellations, Inter Partes Reviews (IPRs) of patents, and trade secret and unfair competition violations.
We provide corporate counseling on issues of licensing, security interest, confidentiality, and nondisclosure agreements; assignments; trade secret protection; and patent and trademark infringement.
Serving a national and international client base comprised of both established and entrepreneurial enterprises, Calfee provides fully integrated, high-quality legal services throughout the United States and around the world. Our attorneys work with clients to develop strategies for utilizing the client’s intellectual property, protecting trade secrets, and dealing with adverse claims of patent, trademark, and copyright infringement.
Noteworthy
Chambers USA Leading Law Firm Rankings
Since 2004, Calfee has been recognized as a Leading Law Firm for Intellectual Property by Chambers USA, most recently in Band 1 in Ohio (2024).
Clients provided feedback to Chambers USA researchers, "Calfee is esteemed for its handling of IP litigation and portfolio management on behalf of large clients in Ohio and the Midwest and across the USA. The IP team is highly experienced in the engineering, chemical, and biological sectors, with notable abilities in handling matters for consumer products and manufacturing clients. The team is responsive, practical, and extremely knowledgeable. The firm offers excellent value for its services. The team is dedicated and provides sophisticated IP legal services at an attractive cost. Calfee's IP attorneys are highly regarded; they are true experts, and they do excellent work for their clients. This is a power bench; the team works well together and supports each other well. Each individual is responsive and knowledgeable in their expertise and experience. This is definitely one of my favorite firms to work with."
Chambers USA researchers also found Calfee's IP team to be held in "very high regard by fellow practitioners who note Calfee's extensive experience representing clients in wider patent and trademark matters, IP litigation matters, appellate work, and advising companies on managing IP assets in China."
Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” Rankings
Calfee was selected for inclusion in the 2025 "Best Law Firms" rankings in the following areas:
- Copyright Law (Regional Tier 2 Cleveland)
- Litigation – Intellectual Property (National Tier 3, Regional Tier 1 Cleveland)
- Patent Law (Regional Tier 1 Cleveland, Regional Tier 2 Cincinnati)
World Trademark Review 1000 – The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals
Calfee's Intellectual Property practice group has been selected as a leading law firm (Silver Rankings) and Calfee Partner Raymond Rundelli has been selected as a leading lawyer by the World Trademark Review 1000 – The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals publication from 2015-2024. The annual WTR 1000 research directory recognizes the world’s leading trademark firms and professionals. Each year, WTR conducts exhaustive qualitative research to identify the firms and individuals that are deemed outstanding in this critical area of practice.
Professionals
Professionals
Experience
Experience
Calfee’s client list includes some of the largest and most successful companies in and around Ohio, including:
- The Lincoln Electric Company (LECO)
- American Greetings
- GOJO Industries, Inc.
- Invacare Corporation (NYSE: IVC)
- Swagelok Company
- STERIS/U.S. Endoscopy Group (NYSE: STE)
- RPM International Inc. (NYSE: RPM)
A few of Calfee's national and international clients outside the Ohio area include:
- Microsoft Corporation
- NASA
- Cruise LLC (a subsidiary of General Motors)
- Sandia National Laboratories
- Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE: EW)
- Teva Pharmaceuticals
- New World Medical
- Fortune Brands (NYSE: FBHS) (ex., Master Lock Co. and Moen, Inc.)
- Hytera Communications Co, Ltd.
- BOE Technology
- BYD Company
The IP in IT
The IP in IT
Among the fastest growing, most rapidly evolving, and most valuable intellectual property asset categories in today’s marketplace are those in computer software, hardware, firmware, networks and related information technology (IT) goods and services. Among other notable features, various facets of such IT assets may enjoy protection under all forms of intellectual property (IP) – patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets.
Calfee’s highly regarded IP attorneys have deep and extensive experience in securing, protecting, defending, and enforcing all forms of IP in IT. That experience includes drafting and prosecuting patent applications for some of the most sophisticated IT inventions; registering copyrights in software and websites; and helping clients develop programs to protect the confidentiality of critical trade secrets embodied in their IT products, services, and processes. It also entails high-stakes litigation over software patents, copyrights and trade secrets, in which we have successfully protected clients’ interests as both plaintiffs and defendants in trial courts across the country and before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Additionally, our IP attorneys are active in drafting and negotiating agreements for the full array of transactions through which IP assets in IT are developed, licensed, transferred, and otherwise commercially exploited, including working closely with our colleagues in other practice areas, such as mergers and acquisitions.
If you care about the IP in IT, you should be talking with Calfee.
Client Feedback
Client Feedback
- "Calfee's IP team is responsive, practical, and extremely knowledgeable."– Client quote, Chambers USA 2023
- "The team handles very complex patent work for us and has proven to be very professional and knowledgeable." – Client quote, Chambers USA 2022
- "They manage situations so they can be handled cost-effectively, they're great at communicating and make strong, practical recommendations, rather than just legal assessments." – Client quote, Chambers USA 2022
- "Calfee does phenomenal work and has become our go-to firm for IP services." – Client quote, Chambers USA 2022
- "They have a really good spectrum of talent across sectors and expertise, particularly in the technology space." – Client quote, Chambers USA 2022
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