Steven M. Auvil

Steve Auvil leads our Intellectual Property & Technology Practice Group’s litigation practice in the US, and his practice is focused on litigation of intellectual property (IP) disputes. As an engineer and patent lawyer, he has been exposed to a wide variety of technologies, including control systems, power electronics, communication systems, medical devices, steel production, complex mechanical systems and software systems.

In more than 20 years of practicing law, Steve has served as lead trial counsel and successfully represented clients in numerous patent, trade secret, copyright and trademark/trade dress cases in federal district courts throughout the US. He has also argued several patent-related appeals before the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

In addition, he has handled a significant number of disputes before US administrative agencies, including 337 actions before the US International Trade Commission and proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeals Board. Finally, Steve has represented clients in IP-related disputes before arbitration tribunals.

While Steve’s practice focus is in litigation, he has considerable non-litigation experience, including counseling clients on IP matters, preparing and prosecuting patent applications, and negotiating agreements that involve IP.

Steve is an active member in a number of professional organizations, including the American Bar Association, American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), Cleveland Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) and Federal Circuit Bar Association. He served as president of CIPLA during 2009-2010 and has held a number of leadership positions in AIPLA.

Steve is a frequent speaker on IP law topics and has spoken to clients, industry groups and IP organizations throughout the US and abroad on topics ranging from US Supreme Court jurisprudence to patent law to the Defend Trade Secrets Act.

Steve is a former member of the William K. Thomas Inn of Court, the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Visiting Committee and the Board of Trustees of Young Audiences of Greater Cleveland. For several years, he taught patent law and practice as an adjunct faculty member of the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.