Frank J. Spanitz practices in the area of intellectual property law, concentrating his practice in procuring domestic and foreign utility and design patents, patent portfolio development and strategies, validity and noninfringement opinions, licensing, trademarks, and counseling including resolving threatened litigation. Actively serving clients in the Lehigh Valley, he is also experienced in patent licensing agreement arbitration and litigation. Mr. Spanitz's patent experience has focused primarily on the mechanical and electronic arts, including medical devices, structural equipment, product and beverage packaging, firearms, tools, writing instruments, automotive, fasteners, textiles, hinges, geared devices, manufacturing equipment, consumer electronics, computer-controlled devices/systems, sensors, telecommunication systems, semiconductor devices and fabrication, scanners, radar systems, software and business methods. He represents individuals, startup businesses and corporate clients.
Mr. Spanitz is a licensed professional engineer and acquired extensive industry and business experience as a senior engineer/project manager for Pennsylvania Power and Light Company for 20 years prior to entering the practice of law. In that capacity, he planned, designed and managed multimillion-dollar power generating plant projects involving equipment/systems related to combustion, material handling, process piping, heat transfer, computer-controlled systems, water and air pollution control, and new power generation technologies. Mr. Spanitz also has substantial experience in industrial construction technologies and equipment.
Admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, New York and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Mr. Spanitz is a member of the American and New York State bar associations and the New York Intellectual Property Law Association. He currently is chair of the IP Committee of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Mr. Spanitz is a 1999 cum laude graduate of Widener University School of Law, where he was research editor of The Delaware Journal of Corporate Law, and a graduate of Villanova University (B.S.M.E.). Mr. Spanitz is also an adjunct professor in the Graduate Business School of Lehigh University, where he teaches intellectual property to MBA and entrepreneurial students.
Areas of Practice
· Intellectual Property Law
· Patents (Opinions, Counseling and Prosecution)
· Trademarks
· Copyrights
· Trade Secret Protection
Professional Activities
· American Bar Association
· New York State Bar Association
· New York Intellectual Property Law Association
· American Society of Mechanical Engineers
- Current Chair, IP Committee
· Licensed Professional Engineer in Pennsylvania, 1985
· Pennsylvania Power & Light Company (now PPL, Inc.)
- Senior Engineer/Project Manager, 1978-1999
Experience
· Duane Morris LLP
- Partner, 2008-present
- Associate, 2006-2007
· Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
- Associate, 2004-2006
· Pennie & Edmonds LLP
- Associate, 1999-2004
Honors and Awards
· Widener Scholar
Selected Publications
· Comment, "Inter-Modal Rail: Will ERISA's Newly Defined Welfare Benefit Noninterference Clause Curb Outsourcing?" The Delaware Law Journal of Corporate Law, Volume 23-2.