TAAT Brings on U.S. Patent Attorney with Fortune 100 Experience as Counsel to Manage IP - Seite 2

Mr. DeFrank began his legal career in the office of California’s Attorney General dealing with consumer fraud, unfair competition, and counterfeit goods. Later moving to an IP law firm, Mr. DeFrank provided services for a global video game manufacturer to take action against counterfeiters of their products, liaising with state and federal agencies to obstruct the proliferation of such goods in the consumer market. As an innovative thinker, Mr. DeFrank was also among the first patent attorneys in the United States to successfully write and prosecute patents for software, e-commerce, and information technology business models.

The comprehensive suite of IP services provided to clients of Mr. DeFrank in private practice, ranging from startups to Fortune 100 firms, consists of services that include trademark brand management and patent counselling. Mr. DeFrank works directly with some of the world’s largest e-commerce and social media platforms to detect potential instances of IP infringement and guide remedial or enforcement action to protect the IP of clients’ brands and products. IP strategies led and executed by Mr. DeFrank have had objectives such as identifying value and opportunities through appraisals and audits, as well as monetizing IP through negotiated licensing agreements. Clients who have been represented by Mr. DeFrank include Microsoft, IBM, HP, Seagate, NASA, and Raytheon. Mr. DeFrank is also a named inventor on five issued patents and more than 30 pending patents.

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As counterfeit goods in the tobacco category continue to be introduced to markets globally, Mr. DeFrank’s acumen in anti-counterfeiting tactics could prove especially beneficial in preventing potential hazards from misuse of the TAAT brand name or trade dress. According to a 2019 study by KPMG, although consumption of illicit cigarettes in the European Union declined for the seventh consecutive year, consumption of counterfeit cigarettes was at an all-time high with a 38% increase from 2018 to 2019². Tobacco industry giant British American Tobacco stated that the “look-alike” subset of counterfeit tobacco products can cause similar problems, such as when cigarette packs are designed to show the numeric emblem of its State Express 555 brand with the numbers altered to “999” to evade potential suspicion of legal-aged smokers³. The Company is confident that Mr. DeFrank’s familiarity with the legal mechanisms to combat the practices of counterfeiters could strengthen the Company’s long-term ability to establish and protect market share in the tobacco industry.