The Work
Intellectual Property. Internet, Privacy & Technology. Energy & Utility. Litigation.
Intellectual Property & IP Litigation
Patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets — prosecution, enforcement, and litigation. Jonathan is one of the few downstate Illinois attorneys with a focused IP practice, and has been rated in the top 20% of copyright litigators in the country by volume. He appears before the USPTO, TTAB, WIPO, and federal courts across the country.
AI and intellectual property and Schedule A proceedings are, presently, a growing part of hispractice.
Utility, Energy & Data Centers
Most utility disputes begin at the Illinois Commerce Commission, not a courthouse. Jonathan has litigated there for years, representing landowners facing transmission line and oil, gas, and CO2 pipeline projects, whether brought by Ameren, ComEd, or new entrants to the field. His record includes the Rock Island Clean Line matter, where he represented more than 300 landowners from the Mississippi River to Grundy County, Illinois. The project was defeated at the Illinois Supreme Court. Similarly, his representation has resulted in the (seeming) abandonment of at least one CO2 pipeline. He regularly secure re-routing for landowners facing transmission line infrastructure.
Newer to the practice has been representation of those concerned about hyperscale data centers. The AI infrastructure buildout generates a new wave of disputes across Illinois and brings in law concerning municipalities, utilities and energy and rates associated with them, water rights, pollution matters, and so on. Jon has developed a playbook that has (along with citizen participation) seemingly stopped one data center in downstate Illinios.
Internet & Privacy Law
Online defamation, privacy violations, website ADA, TCPA, CALOPPA, GDPR and other privacy acronym compliance, computer fraud, and First Amendment matters. Jonathan has unmasked anonymous defendants, protected clients from subpoenas seeking to expose their identities, and sealed federal court dockets in privacy-sensitive matters. He drafts and reviews privacy policies, terms of service, and website compliance documents.
Commercial Litigation & Business Law
While a smaller portion of his practice, Jonathan litigates commercial matters for his clients.
He also assists with business formation, commercial contracts, and IP-integrated business counseling. He treats IP protection as part of business law work from the start, not an afterthought. He was a founding board member of Startup Peoria and has worked with companies at all stages and all sizes.
Niche Litigation
Strike 3/BitTorrent
Strike 3 Holdings, and other BitTorrent plaintiffs, accuse people of downloading their films in John Doe suits.
Joe Hand & Others
Joe Hand Promotions, G&G, J&J, Ryan Janis, Tom Riley, Julie Lonstein, Zuffa, 47 U.S.C. section 553, 47 U.S.C. section 605. If you get a letter or a lawsuit with any of this and you have likely fallen into a signal piracy case. There are defenses available for some. And settlement for others. If ignored, these companies and attorneys generally will file a suit.
Schedule A
Jon represents both Plaintiffs and Defendants in Schedule A litigation throughout the United States. He is happy to work with Chinese-based co-counsel and focuses on efficient litigation strategies to make immediate impacts
TCPA
Businesses using text messaging are often targeted by putative class actions for TCPA by California and Florida based attorneys based on sending texts without authorization or out of certain hours. Viable defenses exist.
Browser Privacy
Primarily threatened by California attorneys on a class action basis, use of Meta Pixel and other tracking tools is causing businesses to get letters or be sued for alleged violations of a variety of privacy laws, including CIPA (California Invasion of Privacy Act) and so-called pen register claims.
Higbee & Associates
Higbee & Associates, Copycat Legal, PicRights, and others send threatening letters to those they believe are infringing the copyrights held by their clients, such as the AFP and others. Most of the time, these concern images used on websites. While few of these matter escalate to suits, that is in large part due to the availability of settlement on reasonable terms.
BMI/ASCAP/
SESAC
Performing rights organizations, like BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC, collect and license the copyrights of their members for live music performance. Bars, clubs, and restaurants that do not get proper licenses for live music may get demands from these entities. Generally, if not addressed, they will sue.