MARK SEVER is a member of Archer & Greiner's Corporate Department and Co-Chair of the Firm's Intellectual Property Practice Group. Mark specializes in the practice of corporate law with an emphasis on intellectual property (i.e., patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets) and technology-related matters. He represents a wide range of clients from closely held and emerging growth companies, to governmental and quasi-governmental entities, to large national and international private and publicly held companies.

Mark provides general corporate representation and day-to-day business advice to a broad array of companies, addressing issues including entity formation and restructuring, corporate governance, and dissolution. Mark also has considerable experience representing both buyers and sellers in merger and acquisition transactions (both asset sales and stock sales). He has negotiated and drafted many varied and complex business agreements including original equipment manufacturing (OEM), joint venture, sales, manufacturing, purchase, distribution, consulting and employment agreements. Mark also regularly counsels business owners involved in partner or shareholder disputes and buy-outs.

Mark's intellectual property practice is equally diverse, and encompasses intellectual property-driven business transactions, as well as protection and litigation matters. His intellectual property protection practice often involves advising inventors on the most efficient and cost effective ways to secure protection for their inventions. He also frequently assists clients with corporate and product name and logo selection, and the filing and prosecution of associated trademark applications both in the U.S. and worldwide. Mark counsels clients on "work for hire" and other copyright ownership issues, and has applied for and obtained copyright registrations on works including software, website content, marketing materials and architectural designs. He also routinely prepares, reviews and negotiates non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements (NDAs), and instructs clients on the steps necessary to secure trade secret protection for their proprietary information such as business plans, customer and vendor information, and product cost and pricing data.

Mark's experience with intellectual property-driven business transactions is also broad ranging. He has considerable experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating on behalf of licensors and licensees, patent, copyright, trademark and know-how licenses. In the software context, he frequently prepares and negotiates development agreements, licenses, and maintenance and service agreements. Mark's Internet-related experience includes the preparation of privacy policies, terms of service and use, and e-mail and Internet usage policies, as well as the drafting and negotiation of hosted services agreements, service level agreements, linking and framing agreements, and domain name transfer agreements. Examples of intellectual property-driven matters he has handled on behalf of clients include:

1. An international laboratory know-how license for a leading institute for medical and genetic research.

2. An innovative product development and license agreement on behalf of a worldwide leader in the household cleaning products market.

3. A fiber optic network services agreement on behalf of a consortium of state institutions for higher education.

4. A hosted services agreement on behalf of a developer of financial intelligence software for use in connection with the health care industry.

5. An international development and licensing agreement on behalf of a Fortune 500 manufacturer of automotive components.

6. A market data license and services agreement on behalf of a prominent market research organization focusing on the voice, video and data markets.

Mark is well-versed in intellectual property-related disputes and litigation. He routinely prepares and responds to demand letters addressing alleged infringements of patents, copyrights and trademarks, and the misappropriation of trade secrets. He has litigated opposition and cancellation proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, and has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal courts in litigation involving claims of intellectual property infringement. Mark has also counseled clients on, and litigated matters involving, false advertising, trade dress infringement, and federal and state unfair competition claims, as well as domain name disputes including claims arising under the federal Anti-Cybersquatting Act.

Mark has written and spoken on a broad range of topics including computer crime, intellectual property protection, intellectual property enforcement, and Internet-related law. His recent presentations include those at Rowan University's Intellectual Property Summit and the Entrepreneurs Forum of Southern New Jersey.
Mark has been named as a "Top Attorney" by SJ Magazine for Computer Law (2007), Intellectual Property Law (2007-2008), and Internet Law (2009). He has also been recognized by South Jersey Magazine in its "Awesome Attorneys" edition for Intellectual Property Law (2008-2009).

Mark received his B.A. in 1991 from the University of Michigan, where he majored in Economics. In 1994, he received his J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law in Newark, where he was a Managing Editor of the Computer and Technology Law Journal. Mark was previously associated with Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP in its Philadelphia, Pennsylvania office.

Mark is very committed to the community, and has been involved in a number of charitable and civic organizations. Mark currently serves on the South Jersey Board of Directors of Junior Achievement, and the Board of Trustees of the Moorestown (N.J.) Youth Baseball Federation. He recently completed his tenure on the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey, and previously served on the Board of Directors of the Bridge Academy, a private school for children with learning disabilities in Princeton, New Jersey, the Board of Directors of Ballet NJ (formerly, the Children's Ballet Theater) (Voorhees, N.J.), and the YMCA of Camden County (N.J.). Away from the office, Mark also enjoys coaching youth sports, particularly baseball and soccer, traveling, and reading.

Mark currently resides in Moorestown, New Jersey, with his wife Diana and three sons.