Intellectual Property Team Recognized by Best Lawyers

It’s always an honor to be recognized by Best Lawyers, an organization that does so much to bring awareness to law firms across the country. Today we’re highlighting our Intellectual Property team in Phoenix and their recent recognition as a Best Law Firm.

Created to bring expert counsel to a practice area that has constant demand, our IP team is composed of multiple facets including R&D, product development, clearance, brand protection, M&A, digital devices, apps, licensing arts and entertainment, and so much more.

Our well-rounded team is led by attorney Greg Sitrick who serves as a business peer and litigator for his clients, as well as an advisor and technician. He helps clients prioritize their needs while determining an overall game plan for their IP, rather than simply covering the legal aspects of IP prosecution and enforcement. His experiences allow him to counsel on a multitude of issues from small nominal matters to large bet-the-company type matters, with clients ranging from barely funded start-ups to international multi-billion dollar corporations. His clients voted him a BTI client all-star in 2014 and in 2019.

Rowan Smith plays an instrumental role in the IP team. An experienced IP attorney who provides top-notch legal counseling and business advice, Smith’s practice includes patent prosecution, copyright and trademark registration, licensing and technology-related transactions. He regularly works with clients of all sizes, including multi-national companies, non-profit organizations, and sole inventors, to develop strategies for effectively and efficiently protecting his clients’ most valuable assets. He also provides patent and technology counseling on litigation and licensing matters in addition to non-patent matters, including the registration and protection of copyrights, the filing and prosecution of trademark applications, technology licensing, and the protection of trade secrets.

Benjamin Tietgen’s practice focuses on value-driven IP portfolio management for prolific inventors, academic and research institutions along with companies of any size and global footprint. Tietgen advises on filing, pursuit, maintenance, and enforcement strategies for patents, trademarks, copyrights, publicity rights, and trade secrets, and all of the licenses and other contracts that arise in the IP context. Ben’s technical expertise in computer hardware and software, including cloud computing architecture, Internet of Things, AI and machine learning, and data security including blockchain applications allows him to accurately and effectively provide exceptional counsel. 

Isaac Crum focuses his practice on advising clients as to how to develop, protect and enforce intellectual property rights. He frequently is consulted by, and guides, successful businesses dealing with knockoffs on e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Ebay and Etsy. Through this, he works with his clients to develop a holistic approach that balances developing an enforceable intellectual property portfolio with the realities of e-commerce. In addition to his consulting practice, Isaac has spent the last thirteen years litigating intellectual property cases across the country for clients of every size, from $2 trillion “Fortune 10” companies to mom-and-pop stores and pre-revenue startups. These cases have run the gamut from semiconductor cases before the International Trade Commission in Washington, D.C., trademark and patent cases in Arizona and the Ninth Circuit, cancellation and opposition proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeals Board, and appeals to the Federal Circuit and the United States Supreme Court. 

Congratulations team!