College of Law

Distinguished IP lawyer to speak at law commencement

April 24, 2012

Bussert

Christopher P. Bussert, a partner at Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP in Atlanta, will return to his alma mater to deliver the Toledo Law commencement address Sunday, May 6, 2012 at 1 p.m. in the Student Union Auditorium.

Those 147 candidates eligible for law degrees in December 2011, May 2012 and August 2012 will march in the ceremony.

Miranda M. Vollmer, the 2011-2012 Student Bar Association president, and Michael Z. Hohl, who will graduate summa cum laude, will address their peers during the event.

“Chris Bussert has gone far on his Toledo Law degree, but has not forgotten his alma mater. Despite an extremely busy law practice, he returns regularly to guest lecture and to advise our students. His journey from our classrooms to courtrooms all over the country is the perfect sendoff to our graduates as they start their own careers,” said Daniel J. Steinbock, dean of the College of Law.

Bussert, a 1983 graduate of the College of Law, has over 25 years of experience helping clients such as Sony Music Entertainment Inc., Harley-Davidson Motor Co. and National Football League Properties, Inc. protect and defend their assets and brands. He represents clients in trademark, copyright, unfair competition, franchise litigation and licensing matters.

Bussert was recognized in “The Best Lawyers in America” in the areas of franchise law and intellectual property law for 2012 and for the five years previous. He was listed in “The Trademark Experts’ Experts,” and was selected in World Trademark Review’s inaugural guide to the top 1,000 trademark practitioners in the world. Bussert has also been listed in the “International Who’s Who of Trademark Lawyers” and the “International Who’s Who of Franchise Lawyers” by Law Business Research Ltd.

In addition, Bussert is the editor-in-chief of The Franchise Law Journal, an American Bar Association publication, and The Intellectual Property Strategist.

Bussert was the recipient of the 2010 University of Toledo College of Law Distinguished Alumnus Award.