Robert F. Ware

Rob is a partner in the firm's Competition, Antitrust & White-Collar Crime, Business Litigation and Intellectual Property practice groups. He has significant experience litigating trade secret, unfair competition, copyright infringement, civil antitrust, false advertising and other complex business cases throughout the United States. In addition to his substantial trial and litigation experience, Rob regularly counsels clients in complex antitrust, intellectual property and competition issues.

Among his many professional and community activities, Rob is the immediate past president of the Ohio State Bar Association. He is a member of the Ohio State Bar and is admitted to practice in the United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio, Central District of Illinois and District of Colorado, the United States Courts of Appeals for the First, Sixth and Eleventh Circuits, and the United States Supreme Court.

• University of Michigan, J.D., 1991, cum laude
• University of Virginia, B.A., 1988

• Representation of defendant in Lanham Act false advertising litigation filed in New Jersey federal court.  Successfully defended preliminary injunction motion; outcome affirmed on appeal to Third Circuit.
• Obtained preliminary injunction in federal court litigation involving misappropriation of trade secrets by national accounting firm and denial of requested in injunction in related state court proceedings.
• Regular trade secret litigation counsel for global manufacturer, including litigation matters filed in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Ohio.
• Representation of jewelry manufacturer in copyright and Lanham Act litigation filed in Ohio federal court.
• Representation of worldwide distributor of mechanical power transmission and other industrial products in resale price maintenance antitrust case in Ohio federal court.
• Obtained judgment and award of attorneys' fees in favor of national supplier of hotel and hospitality products in Lanham Act false advertising and unfair competition case.
• Defense judgment and award of attorneys' fees in trade secret litigation involving alleged misappropriation of financial institution software product.
• $11 million dollar judgment in creditor's bill proceeding against customer of a judgment debtor in a trade secret matter.
• Favorable settlement for real estate brokerage of civil antitrust conspiracy claim by national franchisor.
• Substantial settlement in favor of financial institution in trade secret litigation involving misappropriation of computer source code by software developer.
• Representation of residential home builders and architect in copyright infringement litigation.
• Defense verdict for financial institution in lender liability litigation brought by Toledo developer.
• Jury verdict on counterclaim and rejecting plaintiff competitor’s claim against national cleaning products supplier.
• Judgment after five-week trial dismissing claims against City of Akron by other local governments challenging its control of waters of the Cuyahoga River.
• Defense judgment in bench trial for electromechanical parts supplier in breach of contract action brought by competing company.
• Summary judgment in favor of major financial institution in trademark infringement litigation.
• Favorable settlement for software developer in arbitration against computer education franchisor.
• Numerous trade secret, non-competition covenant, tortious interference and other business tort cases and preliminary injunction hearings, for both plaintiffs and defendants.
• Regular counseling of clients concerning antitrust, intellectual property and other competition issues.

• " Should You Enter the Blogosphere - Can you afford not to?" · Cleveland Bar Journal, May 2005
• " The Conflict Virus: When are Lawyer Conflicts Imputed to the Firm?" · Cleveland Bar Journal, January 2005
• "Recent Developments in Ethics Rules Relating to Corporate Governance" · Cleveland Bar Journal, January 2004
• "Corporate Governance: The Ethical Implications for Lawyers" · Cleveland Bar Journal, January 2003
• "Differences Meaningful in Terms of Intellectual Property" · Crain's Cleveland Business, December 2002
• "Drafting International Technology Licensing Agreements" · a chapter of Negotiating and Structuring International Commercial Transactions, 2d ed., 2002
• "Identifying and Protecting Trade Secrets"; Et al., a publication of the Deloitte & Touche Dispute Consulting Services Group, 2001
• Contributing Author · State Antitrust Practice and Statutes, 2d ed., 1999
• "Trade Secrets May Enjoy Wide Legal Protection" · Crain's Cleveland Business, 1997
• Co-Author, "Are You a Medical Monopoly" · Unique Opportunities, 1996
• "Declaratory Judgment Actions in Dealer Termination Cases" · Private Antitrust Litigation News, 1993

• "Taking and Defending Effective Depositions", Ohio State Bar Association CLE Program, 2008
• "Trade Secrets Litigation and Strategy", TH Corporate Counsel Seminar, 2007
• Seminar Chair: "Ethics, Professionalism and Substance Abuse 2006", Cleveland Bar Association Practice and Procedure Clinic, 2006
• "Current Antitrust Issues Concerning Relationships with Dealers and Distributors", American Corporate Counsel Association Meeting, 2003
• Program Chair: "Competition Law Skills Workshop", Ohio State Bar Association Annual Convention, 2002
• "Protecting Proprietary Information Through Litigation", Cleveland Bar Association, Intellectual Property Committee Seminar, 2002
• "Antitrust Principles Governing Multi-Firm Conduct", Ohio State Bar Association Antitrust Section, Antitrust Institute, 2001
• "Identifying, Protecting and Exploiting Your Company’s Proprietary Information", Deloitte & Touche/Thompson Hine LLP Seminar, 2001
• "Current Hot Issues in Antitrust and Other Complex Litigation: Joint Defense Agreements", Ohio State Bar Association Annual Convention, 2001
• "Antitrust: What Every Business Lawyer Should Know", Ohio State Bar Association Annual Convention, 2000
• "Copyright and E-Commerce Issues for the Design Professional", Denmark Group Annual Management Workshops, 2000
• "Intellectual Property Licensing Arrangements", Ohio State Bar Association Antitrust Section, Antitrust Institute, 2000
• "Price-Related Distribution Practices", Ohio State Bar Association Antitrust Section, Antitrust Institute, 1999