Dan Stock has practiced intellectual property law continuously for nearly thirty-five years, including twenty-five years with Ford Motor Company from where he retired as Managing Counsel - Intellectual Property Litigation,. He held this position for ten years and simultaneously served for a time as Acting Chief IP counsel of Volvo Car Corporation while on temporary assignment in Sweden. As litigation manager he controlled all Ford patent, trademark, trade secret and copyright litigation throughout the world, leading for Ford on setting case strategy and driving settlement where appropriate.

During his earlier years at Ford he was responsible for IP matters relating to vehicle body structures and hardware and components and for safety systems. For several years he was Ford’s legal representative to the United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR.). He also handled Ford Tractor matters, including the acquisition of the businesses that made up Ford New Holland, Inc. and the subsequent sale of that company.

Eaton Corporation and Chrysler Corporation previously employed him as a patent attorney. His patent responsibilities involved turbine and internal combustion engines, engine components, transmissions, transfer cases, air bags, fuel systems and other automotive systems and components. In addition, at Chrysler he handled IP matters and the IP portions of government contracts for Chrysler Defense and for the sale of that Company.

Prior to beginning practice in intellectual property law, Dan was an aircraft hydraulics engineer with Vickers Incorporated of Troy, Michigan, then a division of Sperry Rand. He designed and developed pumps, motors, valves and hydraulic and electrohydraulic controls for military and commercial aircraft. Accordingly, his strongest technology capabilities are in the mechanical and electromechanical arts with particular strength in fluid power.

Dan brings to Brooks Kushman significant experience in patent and trademark prosecution and in counseling and litigation experience in patents, trademarks, copyrights and intellectual property matters relating to human resources. He also brings great experience in counseling, instrument drafting and negotiation for transactions related to the handling of confidential business and technical information, intellectual property licensing, product development, government contract, mergers and acquisitions, and the intellectual property aspects of purchasing transactions. He was the primary author of most of the IP terms used by Ford in its purchasing activities.

Besides drafting and negotiating numerous agreements relating exclusively to the protection and conveyance of intellectual property rights, like licensing and consulting agreements, he frequently served as lead IP counsel in major business transactions in which intangible assets like IP rights were at the heart of the deal. These transactions involved joint venture formations, cooperative development arrangements, acquisition and sale of business entities. As a result of the global nature of Ford’s businesses, his experience has been enhanced by practice in Europe and Asia and through cooperation and consultation with IP professionals throughout the world.

Dan’s calm, analytical, pragmatic approach to solving the business and legal problems inherent in transactions of the type encountered in the automotive industry was highly respected by his corporate employers and his colleagues in other companies in the automotive industry. He has served as a mediator in IP disputes between Ford suppliers and has led joint defense teams including suppliers and OEM competitors. He has also spoken on IP matters at meetings of professional organizations. These experiences are indicative of important skills made available to Brooks Kushman clients.