Kevin represents numerous traditional businesses as their BUSINESS ATTORNEY, from startups to multi-national companies, through all stages of growth. He is recognized as one of Seattle's leading LICENSING & TECHNOLOGY lawyers. Kevin is a highly respected FRANCHISE AND DISTRIBUTION lawyer, working with franchises throughout the U.S. and in most countries around the world. He has a large domestic and international TRADEMARK AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY practice with thousands of successful registrations and enforcements.

Kevin serves as Chair of our Business Practice Group. He also heads our Franchise & Distribution, Trademarks and Intellectual Property, and Licensing & Technology Teams. Kevin's practice emphasizes being a RESPONSIVE PROBLEM SOLVER and TRUSTED ADVISOR with a positive attitude. He is a deal maker who understands business realities and technologies. Present a complex problem and goal to Kevin and he will provide the options and devise the strategy and proper vehicle for your solution in Humanese Over Legalese.™

Representative Experience 

• Prepared numerous patent, software, technology and Internet licenses and agreements.
• Obtained thousands of trademark registrations and licenses in U.S. and foreign countries.
• Created numerous business-to-business and business-to-consumer arrangements and outsourcing arrangements, software and hardware, I.T. consulting, e-commerce, website hosting and development, telecommunications, Internet and eCommerce agreements relating to terms of use, privacy, social networks, data scraping, cloud computing, advertising and domain name agreements.
• Formed and maintained hundreds of business entities.
• Handled hundreds of sales and purchases of businesses.
• Established numerous franchise concepts with registrations in U.S. and in foreign countries.
• Undertaken collateralization of numerous foreign and domestic loans.
• Negotiated hundreds of leases with office buildings, shopping centers and malls.
• Prepared numerous relationship documents, including employment, shareholder, deferred compensation, stock option, profit interest, invention, confidentiality know-how, strategic alliance, non-intervention, non-solicitation and non-competition agreements.
• Long-term representation of over 25 years with clients in trade groups such as franchising/distribution, advertising, freight forwarders, manufacturers and foundries, real estate developers and brokers, investors, family trusts, software developers, inventors, patent holders, retailers, restaurants, consultants, computer services providers, home medical distributors and wholesalers.

Publications and Speaking Engagements

Frequent speaker and author on such topics as:

• drafting contracts in plain English
• advanced licensing, cloud computing
• eCommerce and Internet issues
• franchising and distribution strategies
• trademark protection and enforcement tips 
• advanced start-up business issues
• strategic alliances and where to use them 
• entity selection and formation inside strategies
• using limited liability companies (versus S Corporations)
• raising private and venture capital
• mergers and acquisitions
• law office management
• use of technology in the practice of law
• professional responsibility

Honors and Awards

• Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) - one of only a handful of attorneys to be awarded the designation by the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives, an affiliate of the International Franchise Association Educational Foundation (2004-2010)
• Washington CEO Magazine, “Top Lawyers in Washington”  (2008)
• Seattle Magazine, "Top Lawyer" (2001)
• Washington Law & Politics' Super Lawyers® (1999-2000)

Listed in the following:

• Continental Who's Who Registry of National Business Leaders - VIP Member
• Madison's Who's Who
• Madison's Who's Who Among Professionals and Executives - Honors Edition
• International Executive Guild's Who's Who
• Who's Who in America
• Who's Who of Emerging Leaders in America
• Who's Who in Practicing Attorneys
• International Who's Who
• Who's Who in American Law
• Men of Achievement
• Directory of Intellectual Property Lawyers and Patent Agents
• Who's Who in the Computer Industry
• Washington's International Trade Directory
• International Who's Who of Professionals
• Fellow of North American Academy of Arts and Sciences
• International Registry of Outstanding Professionals
• Who's Who in Executives and Professionals
• Who's Who Legal U.S.A.
• Marquis' Who's Who

Professional and Community Activities

• Member, International Franchise Association (and Supplier Forum)
• Member, International Trademark Association (Member Publications Committee)
• Member, Computer Law Association
• Member, various American Bar Association sections including Forum on Franchising, Small Business, Intellectual Property, Corporate Governance (Current Events and Emergency Issues Committee), and Cyberspace law sections
• Former President and Emcee of Northwest Entrepreneurs Network
• Former Northwest U.S. and Western Canada Alumni Chair of BYU Law School
• Former National Representative of Beta Theta Pi

Articles

• 2012 Schedule of Fees- U.S. Copyrights
• 2012 Schedule of Fees- U.S. Trademarks
• U.S. Franchising Basics (2009)
• Licensing & Technology: Frequently Asked Questions (2009)

Background

Kevin joined Ryan, Swanson & Cleveland in 1980 upon graduation from law school. He loves the firm, the people, the client contacts and the practice of law.

Part of a Group on a Bike, Ahead of the Pack in Practice

Kevin has been mountain biking for many years. He and fellow bikers often meet at trails, then start pedaling. “We try to go to places we’ve never been,” says Kevin. “Most of the riding we do is single track with plenty of mud.” He also enjoys hiking, rollerblading, playing basketball, baseball, golf, church and family activities. Kevin is very active in community service for individuals and the environment.

Long before most lawyers knew something called the “New Economy” existed, Kevin was representing technology clients driving that economy. He helped form and was President and Emcee of Northwest Entrepreneur Network, a nonprofit organization of financiers, managers, marketing specialists and other professionals that help emerging businesses obtain capital and management talent and refine their business plans.