Having developed significant experience in the plastics industry, Alan is often hailed as the “plastics lawyer.”
Alan's industry knowledge and business acumen has him sitting on the board of directors of industry companies and national trade associations, including the Manufacturers Association for Plastics Processors and the American Mold Builders Association. Companies trust him to provide strategic advice to allow them to best manage their risk and assets. Often this requires him to protect their valuable trade secrets and intellectual property in high stakes litigation. Alan's success in intellectual property litigation led to him being recognized as an Ohio Super Lawyer and AV Peer Review Rated attorney and to also be elected as chair of the American Bar Association’s trade secret subcommittee for several years (for which he received a distinguished service commendation) and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.
Given his German heritage and significant time living overseas, Alan – not surprisingly – also practices immigration law. He often appears in U.S. Immigration Court, defends employers against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) audits, and trains human resource professionals on inbound and outbound visa strategies and best practices regarding I-9 compliance and E-Verify employment verification requirements. His successful representation of hospitals and healthcare professionals on immigration issues resulted in his becoming a member of the exclusive International Medical Graduate Taskforce.
Representative Experience
- Represented BrightVolt in trade secret litigation to secure a permanent injunction that precluded a former employee from working for a competitor in any capacity relating to BrightVolt’s proprietary battery technology, communicating with BrightVolt’s customers, or reverse engineering any of BrightVolt’s trade secrets. BrightVolt, Inc. v. Wenbin Yin, Case No. 2:19-CV-01524 (W.D. WA)
- Successfully handled dispute over sale of business. Gavron Campbell, et al. v. Dave Brautigan, et al., Case No. 2017- CV-290380 (Fulton County, GA Superior Court)
- Successfully enforced certain restrictive covenants against owner of certain property, requiring owner to cease leasing property to businesses that compete with Summa Health Systems’ business lines. Secured judgment in favor of our client Summa Heath Systems. Summa Health Systems v. Parsons Family Limited Partnership, et al., Case No. CV 2018-06-2291 (Summit County, OH Court of Common Pleas).
- Received favorable jury verdict on claims arising from destruction of property involving a retail store in Stark County Court of Common Pleas.
- Represented manufacturer in successfully showing patent infringement and false advertising.
- Represented two companies in an action seeking several million dollars in damages.
- Successfully defended a research scientist and new employer against trade misappropriation and breach of contract lawsuit.
- Obtained a unanimous jury verdict in favor of Dinesol Plastics, Inc. on claims of trade secret misappropriation and other business torts filed against the company.
