Stites & Harbison, PLLC

John Scruton is Counsel to the firm and based in its Louisville office. He has practiced intellectual property law for over 10 years and litigation for over 20 years. John's practice includes all phases of the trademark registration process, including a particular focus on proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board such as oppositions to pending trademark applications and actions to cancel existing registrations. He is also active in litigating trademark, copyright, patent, unfair competition and trade secret cases; negotiating and drafting licenses, assignments and other transactions involving trademark and copyrights; and, counseling clients concerning intellectual property strategies.

Recent Assignments

• Part of a trial team that won a multimillion-dollar patent infringement verdict, including a finding of willful infringement, in a case involving simulated neon sign technology
• Defended local healthcare facility against trademark infringement claims raised by out-of-state health insurance company
• Assisted manufacturer of commercial beverage equipment with selection and protection of trademarks in the U.S. and internationally under the Madrid Protocol

Recent Speaking Engagements and Publications

• "Recent Developments in Intellectual Property Law—Trademark Law Update," Louisville Bar Association, June 2006 and June 2008
• "Basics of Trademark Licensing," Louisville Bar Association, April 2006
• "Regulation of False Advertising by the Federal Trade Commission," Louisville Bar Association, September 2004

Before Stites & Harbison

From 1986 to 1995, Mr. Scruton was an associate in the Los Angeles office of Sidley & Austin, an international law firm based in Chicago. He was a member of the firm's litigation group and worked on a wide variety of matters, including a series of condominium construction defect/land subsidence cases, partnership disputes, environmental and toxic tort matters, Drexel Burnham Lambert litigation, and a series of cases involving the Americans with Disabilities Act.

More Than Stites & Harbison

John is a member of the board of The Fabulous Leopard Percussionists, Inc. (a non-profit children's music group), Teach Kentucky (a charitable organization that recruits new teachers) and Yale in Kentucky (the local alumni association). He is on the Steering Committee for Highland Youth Recreation, a non-profit recreational sports league operated by Highlands Community Ministries. He is also active in leadership positions at First Unitarian Church of Louisville.

Besides Stites & Harbison

John plays tradtional music on the guitar and banjo, and enjoys photography.