PHILADELPHIA, PA, May 4 – Mark H. Anania, Co-Chair of Stevens & Lee’s Intellectual Property Practice Group, joined a panel to present “Let’s Get Digital: IP Issues and Digital Assets in the Metaverse” on May 4, 2022, during the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Greater Philadelphia’s 14th Annual In-House Conference at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.
Mr. Anania was joined by fellow panelists Kristen M. Smith, an Associate at Stevens & Lee, and Scott B. Schwartz, Corporate Counsel at GOLO, LLC, to present “Let’s Get Digital: IP Issues and Digital Assets in the Metaverse.” Discussion explored how the evolution of IP law can accommodate the creation and enforcement of copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets and patents deriving from purely digital environments and web spaces. Further, the panelists outlined how smart contracts and transactions on blockchain technologies can shape IP leasing, decentralized exchanges and mitigate counterfeiting.
Mr. Anania serves as Co-Chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice and has a national IP practice helping clients to value and defend their IP and other technology assets. As a seasoned litigator, he has represented a range of clients across various industries including medical devices, athletic goods, LED lighting, food service, consumer products, and pharmaceuticals. Mr. Anania’s litigation experience spans federal district courts across the country, the Federal Circuit, and the International Trade Commission.
As a strategic ally, Mr. Anania also provides advice on intellectual property portfolio management, counseling and licensing. His guidance ranges from obtaining IP rights through the USPTO and Copyright Office to implementing proactive measures that prevent infringement and maximize the value of his client’s intellectual property.
A thought leader in his professional communities, Mr. Anania is the former President of the New Jersey IP Law Association and frequently writes and speaks on IP issues. He holds a J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law, Newark, and a B.A., magna cum laude and with honors, from Colgate University.
Ms. Smith focuses her practice on a wide variety of intellectual property issues, including domestic and international trademark strategy, federal litigation, Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) proceedings, and management and enforcement of trademarks and brands. She regularly analyzes infringement claims and drafts complaints, motions, and discovery requests.
Ms. Smith holds a J.D. from Villanova University school of Law and a B.S. from The Pennsylvania State University.
