One Federal St.//Boston, MA 02110-1726//United States
Steven J. Frank focuses on advising clients in all areas of intellectual property and commercial technology law, with an emphasis on strategic IP transactions, patent prosecution, analysis of infringement and related issues, copyright questions, and the drafting and negotiation of agreements relating to the transfer or license of intellectual property. Steve has significant experience with general IP diligence, both in investment and M&A contexts, and has negotiated multimillion-dollar domestic and cross-border licenses as well as technology-transfer agreements involving leading universities and research institutions.
Steve advises inventors, companies, private-equity investors, and underwriters concerning IP risk evaluation and mitigation, open-source software issues, and transactional events involving intellectual property. He also works with technology companies to develop patent portfolios and oversees the preparation and prosecution of patent applications both in the United States and abroad.
Steve focuses in numerous technology areas, including chemistry, semiconductors, computer software and hardware, network/Internet applications, medical devices, and clean technologies and nanotechnology. He authored the widely read primer Intellectual Property for Managers and Investors, and since 2005 has been consistently recognized as a leading lawyer in IP by Chambers USA. Before joining Morgan Lewis, Steven was a partner in the corporate practice group of another international law firm, where he was the co-leader of the firm’s intellectual property transactions and development initiative.
Awards and Affiliations
Ranked, Intellectual Property, Massachusetts, Chambers USA (2011–2020)
Lawyer of the Year, Patent Law, Boston, The Best Lawyers in America (2020)
Recognized, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Boston, The Best Lawyers in America (2013–2020)
Recognized, Corporate Law, Boston, The Best Lawyers in America (2015, 2018–2020)
Recognized, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Boston, The Best Lawyers in America (2018–2020)
Recognized, Patent Law, Boston, The Best Lawyers in America (2018–2020)
Recognized, IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Professionals (2018–2020)
Recognized, IP Transactions Star – Massachusetts, Managing Intellectual Property (2020)
Recognized, IP Patent Star – Massachusetts, Managing Intellectual Property (2014–2016, 2018–2020)
Member, Practice Group of the Year, Intellectual Property, Law360 (2019)
Member, Litigation Department of the Year–Intellectual Property, The American Lawyer (2019)
Life Science Star, Intellectual Property, LMG Life Sciences (2013, 2015–2020)
Recognized, Massachusetts, Super Lawyers (2004, 2010, 2013–2016)
Member, American Bar Association
Member, Sigma Xi
Member, IEEE
Member, American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA)
Admissions
Massachusetts
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Education
Columbia University, 2018, Graduate Certificate, Artificial Intelligence
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2017, XSeries Certificate, Program in Computer Science
Harvard Law School, 1986, Juris Doctor, Cum Laude
Brown University, 1983, Scientiæ Baccalaureus, Chemistry, Magna Cum Laude