Mark A. Watkins
Practice Areas
Industries
Education
- University of Akron School of Law, J.D., 1988
- Ohio Northern University, B.S., Pharmacy, 1983
Bar & Court Admissions
Mark is a partner in the Vorys Akron office and a member of the technology and intellectual property group and Vorys eControl. His practice focuses on all facets of intellectual property protection, including patent, trademark, copyright, trade secrets, and intellectual property litigation.
Mark provides IP counsel to many Fortune 1000 companies across the U.S. and around the world, helping companies create IP strategies for the procurement and protection of their IP rights. He develops company policies concerning protection of trade secrets, internal and external invention disclosure policies, inventor recognition programs, non-competition, confidentiality, and non-solicitation policies and agreements for employees and third parties. He also develops and manages systems for periodic review of company IP portfolios (domestic and international). In addition, Mark has experience in evaluation and counseling concerning intellectual property rights acquired or divested in mergers and acquisitions; and in evaluation, counseling and negotiations on behalf of clients concerning transfer of intellectual property rights, including assignments and licenses.
Mark has participated in the enforcement and defense of a wide range intellectual property matters, including patent, trademark and copyright infringements, and misappropriation of trade secrets. His notable experience in this area includes serving as the primary attorney responsible for the management of international trademark procurement and enforcement efforts. This role included the coordination of a worldwide litigation docket; participation in proceedings before the U.S. Customs Service for protection of trademarks and copyrights; and expert witness testimony on patent procurement and litigation issues.
Mark's experience in the entertainment industry is extensive. He has represented a variety of celebrities and athletes in the areas of product endorsement, brand licensing, development and protection of celebrities as brands, as well as in the enforcement of trademark and brand infringements worldwide.
Mark is a member of the International Trademark Association, the American Intellectual Property Law Association, the American Bar Association, the Cleveland Intellectual Property Law Association and the Intellectual Property Owners Association. He was also a practicing pharmacist for nearly seven years.
Mark received his J.D. from the University of Akron School of Law and his B.S. in pharmacy from Ohio Northern University.
Professional and Community Activities
- St. John/St. Paul Endowment Fund, President
- Community Hall Foundation (dba Akron Civic Theatre), Capital Campaign Co-chair
- International Trademark Association, Law Firm Committee, Team Leader for the Disaster Preparedness/Business Continuity Project, 2014; Pro Bono Committee 2014; Law Firm Committee Team Leader 2012-2013; Trademark Professionals Subcommittee
- Cleveland Intellectual Property Law Association, Past President
- Community Hall Board of Trustees 2007-2014; President 2011-2014
- Community Hall Foundation, Board of Trustees
- Leadership Akron, Class XXI, 2004-2005
Teaching/Speaking Engagements
- Duke Law School Annual Sports & Entertainment Law Symposium, 3/16/2012
Honors & Awards
- The Best Lawyers in America, Akron Trademark "Lawyer of the Year," 2021
- IAM Strategy 300 - The World’s Leading IP Strategists, 2018, 2019, 2020
- The Best Lawyers in America, Akron Litigation - Intellectual Property "Lawyer of the Year," 2020
- The Best Lawyers in America, Akron Patent Law “Lawyer of the Year,” 2017-2018
- The Best Lawyers in America, Akron Litigation - Intellectual Property and Trademark Law "Lawyer of the Year," 2016
- The Best Lawyers in America, Intellectual Property Law, Patent Law, and Trademark Law, 2008-2021
- Chambers and Partners, Leading Lawyer in Intellectual Property, 2013-2020
- Ohio Super Lawyers, Intellectual Property, 2005-2020
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Peer Review Rated
News
- 8/26/2020Mark Watkins, a partner in the Vorys Akron office, was quoted in a Paint & Coatings Magazine story titled “Outsourcing Your Manufacturing? 10 Questions to Ask First.”
- 8/20/2020Nine Vorys attorneys have been named 2021 Lawyers of the Year by Best Lawyers. Each year, only a single lawyer in each specialty in each community is honored as the “Lawyer of the Year.”
- 8/20/2020One hundred and twelve lawyers from Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America® 2021 edition. In addition, 26 Vorys attorneys were named to the inaugural Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch” list.
- 5/4/2020Mark Watkins, a partner in the IP group in the Akron office, was included in the 2020 edition of the IAM Strategy 300.
- 4/23/2020Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease is pleased to announce that 30 of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized among the leading practitioners in the country in the 2020 edition of Chambers USA.
- 12/9/2019Vorys is pleased to announce that 39 attorneys from the firm have been named 2020 Ohio Super Lawyers and Rising Stars.
- 8/15/2019One hundred and thirteen lawyers from Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2020.
- 8/15/2019Twelve Vorys attorneys have been named 2020 Lawyers of the Year by Best Lawyers. Each year, only a single lawyer in each specialty in each community is honored as the “Lawyer of the Year.”
- 4/26/2019Vorys announced that 30 of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized among the leading practitioners in the country in the 2019 edition of Chambers USA.
- 12/5/2018Vorys is pleased to announce that 48 attorneys from the firm have been named 2019 Ohio Super Lawyers and Rising Stars.
- 8/15/2018One hundred and thirteen lawyers from Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2019.
- 6/29/2018Mark Watkins, a partner in the IP group in the Akron office, and Carey Jordan, a partner in the IP group in the Houston office, were both featured in IAM’s patent leader publications. Watkins was included in the IAM Strategy 300 and Jordan was included in the IAM Patent Strategy 1000.
- 5/4/2018Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease is pleased to announce that 32 of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized among the leading practitioners in the country in the 2018 edition of Chambers USA.
- 12/5/2017Vorys is pleased to announce that 56 attorneys from the firm have been named 2018 Ohio Super Lawyers and Rising Stars.
- 11/9/2017
- 8/17/2017Twenty Vorys attorneys have been named 2018 Lawyers of the Year by Best Lawyers. Each year, only a single lawyer in each specialty in each community is honored as the “Lawyer of the Year.”
- 8/17/2017One hundred and eight lawyers from Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2018.
- 5/26/2017Vorys announced that 30 of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized among the leading practitioners in the country in the 2017 edition of Chambers USA.
- 12/2/2016Vorys is pleased to announce that 58 attorneys from the firm have been named 2017 Ohio Super Lawyers and Rising Stars.
- 8/15/2016Fifteen Vorys attorneys have been named 2017 Lawyers of the Year by Best Lawyers.
- 8/15/2016One-hundred and eleven lawyers from Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2017.
- 5/27/2016Vorys announced that 36 of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized among the leading practitioners in the country in the 2016 edition of Chambers USA.
- 12/2/2015Vorys is pleased to announce that 63 attorneys from the firm have been named 2016 Ohio Super Lawyers and Rising Stars.
- 8/17/2015One-hundred and eighteen lawyers from Vorys were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2016.
- 8/17/2015Sixteen Vorys attorneys have been named 2016 Lawyers of the Year by Best Lawyers.
- 5/19/2015Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease is pleased to announce that 39 of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized among the leading practitioners in the country in the 2015 edition of Chambers USA.
- 12/3/2014Vorys is pleased to announce that 74 attorneys from the firm have been named 2015 Ohio Super Lawyers and Rising Stars.
- 9/15/2014Mark Watkins, a partner in the Vorys Akron office and a member of the technology and intellectual property group, was quoted in a Crain’s Cleveland Business story titled “What You Need to Know About Your Intellectual Property.”
- 7/24/2014Mark Watkins, a partner in the Vorys Akron office, and Michael Garvin, a partner in the Vorys Cleveland office, were profiled in an IP Law360 story titled “Vorys Strengthens IP Team With 2 Partners From Hahn Loeser.” The story was about their move to Vorys.
- 7/21/2014Mark A. Watkins and Michael J. Garvin, two of Ohio’s most experienced intellectual property attorneys, have joined Vorys as partners.
Events
- 5/17/2018Vorys presented a CLE program entitled, Case Study: A 50/50 Global Strategic Alliance Between Competitors, in partnership with the Northeast Ohio Association of Corporate Counsel on May 17, 2018.
Insights
- 9/10/2015In August, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the federal appellate court with national jurisdiction over patent lawsuits, issued its decision in Limelight Networks, Inc. v. Akamai Technologies, Inc.