Practice Areas
Industries
Education
University of Detroit Mercy School of Law
Detroit, Michigan
J.D., cum laude, 1985
Law Review, Article and Book Editor
Moot Court, National Tax Law Team
Justice Frank Murphy Honor Society
Alpha Sigma Nu National Jesuit Honor Society
Michigan State University
College of Business
East Lansing, Michigan
B.A., with honors, 1982
MSU Mortar Board National Honor Society
Bar Admissions
Michigan
Court Admissions
All Michigan state courts
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
Intellectual Property, Franchise and Business Law Attorney
Tim serves as Co-Chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Team, leads the firm’s franchising and licensing practice, and is also a member of the Business and Corporate Services Practice Team. He has extensive experience in many legal business areas including intellectual property and contract law; corporate and general business law; franchise and licensing law; commercial transactions; warranty, marketing, and disclosure law; and trademark, copyright, and technology licensing as well as litigation.
Tim has served as both in-house and outside legal counsel, as well as having personally owned and operated many different types of small businesses, which provides him with a unique understanding and perspective in helping clients with their legal and business needs, issues, challenges and opportunities.
Tim’s experience includes working with Fortune 500 companies around the world. He uses his significant experience in law and business to apply a unique perspective, philosophy, and attitude to assist all types and sizes of companies in analyzing, protecting, and enforcing their intellectual property from an overall strategic perspective, which is unique to the legal industry. Tim manages clients’ comprehensive trademark and copyright portfolios globally, having prosecuted and handled thousands of trademark registrations both domestically and internationally over his legal career.
Tim has extensive experience in negotiating, drafting, and analyzing complex license and franchise agreements, as well as handling and managing business transactions of all types and sizes, that involve the diverse areas of intellectual property, trade secrets, manufacturing, distribution, sales, marketing, insurance and indemnification, financials, and warranty and quality control.
Tim conducts intellectual property due diligence in M&A deals and commercial transactions, providing analysis, advice, and execution on the strategies and tasks necessary to secure and protect the valuable intellectual property rights. Through his work in franchising and licensing, Tim helps clients strategically grow their businesses, providing counsel, advice, and guidance to both franchisors and franchisees in protecting, enforcing and commercializing their rights and interests.
Additionally, Tim represents several companies as outside general counsel, regularly providing guidance and counsel on matters affecting their businesses and assisting in their day-to-day needs
Honors and Recognitions
Auburn Hills Optimist Club: Distinguished Volunteer Service Award, 2017; Optimist of the Year, 2007 – 2008
C.O.T.H.A. (Troy Homeowners Associations), Volunteer of the Year, 2000
Oxford High School (Michigan), Distinguished Alumnus, 1990
Troy Soccer Club, Distinguished Volunteer Service Award, 2012
Professional Affiliations
American Bar Association
American Intellectual Property Law Association
International Collegiate Licensing Association (ICLA)
International Licensing Industry Merchandisers Association (LIMA)
International Trademark Association (INTA)
Michigan Intellectual Property Law Association
MSU Alumni Association
Oakland County Bar Association
State Bar of Michigan: Business Law Section; Antitrust, Franchising & Trade Regulation Section – Council; Intellectual Property Law Section
University of Detroit Mercy School of Law: Trademark and Entrepreneur Clinic, Director and Adjunct Professor
Community Involvement
Crescent Ridge/Park Subdivision Association: Board of Directors; past president and treasurer
Kickstart Toddler Soccer: trainer/coach
Optimist Club of Auburn Hills, member; past Vice President and Board of Directors member
Sacred Heart Catholic Church (Auburn Hill, Michigan), guest choir member/soloist/cantor
Presentations
Michigan State University, Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, speaker, “Introduction to Intellectual Property,” November 15, 2023
University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, speaker, “Introduction to Trademark Law,” November 17, 2022
MICPA Forensic Accounting and Valuation Services Conference, speaker, “Franchise It! Valuations and Contract/Marketing Agreements,” May 20, 2021
20 Fathoms Executive Forum, speaker, “Assessing Risk – Legal, IT Security, and Business Liabilities,” March 9, 2020
Michigan State University, Eli Broad College of Business, speaker, Business Entrepreneurship classes on Business Entity Creation, and Intellectual Property Protection and Enforcement, 2014 – 2019
Michigan State University, judge, Eli Broad Business Model Competition, March/April 2018
Entrepreneurial Detroit Open City Event, panelist, Build Institute, January 15, 2018
GreenLight Michigan Business Model Competition, judge, March 28, 2018; March 29, 2017
University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, guest speaker, Lunch with a Lawyer Program: “Intellectual Property and Licensing in the ‘Real World’,” 2013
The C12 Group, Fall Conference, guest speaker, “Trade Secrets, Confidentiality, and Non-Compete Agreements,” 2010