

John E. Ottaviani
Are you looking for an attorney who loves to solve problems and takes the time to understand your business, your particular issues and your concerns? Then you have come to the right place. John’s problem solving abilities and focus on his clients’ concerns make him a trusted partner for many of his clients. Although he has extensive experience in intellectual property, contracts, business counselling and technology law, John also does not hesitate to find other resources if a client’s concerns are outside of these areas.
Education
- Columbia University School of Law, J.D.
- Bowdoin College, A.B. Mathematics and Government, magna cum laude
Bar Memberships & Admissions
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 1st Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Massachusetts
Practice Areas
- Intellectual Property & Technology
- Business
- Cannabis Advisory Practice
- Cyberliability & Data Security
- COVID-19 Advisory Group
Honors
- Recognized in Best Lawyers in America as an expert in copyright and trademark law (2018-2022)
- AV® Preeminent Rated from Martindale-Hubbell, highest possible rating on both legal ability and ethics based upon the confidential opinion of peers and judges
- Recognized as a leading intellectual property and corporate attorney since 2008 by
Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business - Selected by his peers for inclusion in Rhode Island Super Lawyers (2011-2019)
- Selected for inclusion in Who's Who Legal in Data & Information Technology 2018
- Selected for inclusion in Who's Who Legal in Telecommunications, Media & Technology 2015
Professional Affiliations
- American Bar Association
- co-Chair Smart Contract and Blockchain Subcommittee
- International Trademark Association
- Publications Committee
- Rhode Island Bar Association
- Business Organizations Committee (former Chair)
- Massachusetts Bar Association
Boards and Community Activities
- Adoption Rhode Island
- Board of Directors (former Board President)
- Bowdoin Law Advisory Network
- Member
- Bowdoin College Alumni Club of RI
- Member (former President)
Representative Trademark Experience
John works with clients of all sizes, from individuals to Fortune 100 companies, with particular focus on selecting and protecting brands in the banking, retail, and manufacturing industries. John and the firm maintain relationships with attorneys around the world, allowing him to assist U.S. based clients to expand and protect trademark rights outside the United States, and to assist non-US based clients to protect trademark rights in the United States. John or other firm attorneys actually have met with many of these attorneys personally.
John also advises clients on a broad range of issues related to intellectual property, including software licensing, software-as-a-service, Internet-related issues, copyright, trade secrets, data protection, privacy, and rights of publicity. John also routinely represents clients in opposition and cancellation proceedings and in appellate proceedings related to trademark registration before the Trademark Trial and Appeal board (TTAB), and in Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) administrative proceedings.
Representative Technology Experience
John was exposed to technology at an early age. His father’s career consisted, in part, of converting bank operations from paper to computers. As a result, the world of technology is familiar to John, not intimidating. He has been working with technology companies since the advent of personal computers, and loves to keep current with the benefits and issues raised by new technologies such as blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things. John also has extensive experience in preparing and negotiating almost every type of agreement imaginable for technology companies and companies using technology in all industries. Users frequently ask him to review and negotiate contracts on their behalf. As a result, John has represented some of the region’s largest financial, healthcare, manufacturing and governmental organizations on these matters.
Representative Business Counselling Experience
Business clients of all sizes and industries call on John’s decades of experience to guide them. He spends the time to understand a client’s business so he can fashion solutions to address the particular concerns of that business. He advises clients on a variety of corporate transactions and contract matters, including joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, sales agreements, master service agreements, distribution agreements, terms and conditions, privacy policies and nondisclosure agreements. And he wrote the book, literally, regarding the organization and use of Rhode Island limited liability companies.
Personal Note
Outside PS&H, John enjoys working in his yard, enjoying the region’s beautiful beaches and excellent craft beer, and rooting for New England professional sports teams.Representative Publications
- United States Supreme Court Limits An Employer's Ability to Protect Trade Secrets Through Violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act
July 15, 2021 - Bringing Your Business Online: Cyber Insurance
July 16, 2020 - Bringing Your Business Online - The Full Series
July 1, 2020 - Bringing Your Business Online: Protecting Your Brand
June 25, 2020 - Bringing Your Business Online: Written Information Security Programs (WISPs)
May 19, 2020 - Bringing Your Business Online: Creating Enforceable Contracts
May 12, 2020 - Bringing Your Business Online: E-Commerce Policies
May 6. 2020 - Bringing Your Business Online: Third Party Content
April 28, 2020 - Bringing Your Business Online: Privacy Policy
April 23, 2020 - Bringing Your Business Online: Website Terms
April 21, 2020 - USPTO Extends Filing Deadlines For COVID-19 Related Delays, Again
April 29, 2020 - John E. Ottaviani Comments On Unintended Consequences In USPTO's Questioning Of Trademark Applicants
As seen in World Trademark Review, September 5, 2019 - Intellectual Property Insights Summer 2019
August 2019 - John E. Ottaviani Comments In World Trademark Review on "Return To Normal" In Trademark Filings
August 9, 2019 - John E. Ottaviani Comments on "Unprecedented" Surge in Trademark Applications From China Ahead of New USPTO Rule
As seen in World Trademark Review, August 2, 2019 - John E. Ottaviani Comments On SCOTUS Brunetti Decision In Leading Intellectual Property Media
June 27, 2019 - John Ottaviani: Trademark Law
Three Things, June 13, 2019 - What's In Your WISP?
Partridge Snow & Hahn Client Alert, May 9, 2019 - How Vulnerable Is Your Business To A Cyberattack?
As Seen In The Anchor, Spring 2019, May 1, 2019 - Biometric Information Privacy Protection Act
Partridge Snow & Hahn Client Alert, April 8, 2019 - Changes In Canadian Trademark Law - Opportunities And Strategies
Partridge Snow & Hahn Client Alert, April 4, 2019 - Rhode Island Proposes New Consumer Privacy Protection Act
Partridge Snow & Hahn Client Alert, April 1, 2019 - Does Your Company Have a WISP? Have You Updated It Lately?
Partridge Snow & Hahn Client Alert, March 6, 2019 - Limit Your Risk of Data Breach Liability: 13 Important Considerations Before Providing Data to a Third Party
February 21, 2019 - Amendments to the Massachusetts' Data Breach Notification Law Create Additional Notification and Response Requirements
Partridge Snow & Hahn Client Alert, January 2019 - How Vulnerable Is Your Business to a Cyber Attack or Data Breach?
January is a good time for all businesses to review and update their cybersecurity policies and practices, Partridge Snow & Hahn Client Alert, January 10, 2019 - Cyberliability Tips: Watch Out for Holiday Scams!
Partridge Snow & Hahn Client Alert, December 18, 2018 - Should you be using blockchain technology in your business?
Published by Providence Business News , May 11, 2018 - Intellectual Property Traps for the Unwary Business
March 29, 2018 - Craft Brewery Licensing in Rhode Island
January 18, 2018 - Cyber Insurance - Some Questions to Ask
As seen in the Fourth Quarter 2017 edition of The Anchor, January 15, 2018 - A Review Of Massachusetts' Marijuana Industry In 2017
As seen in Law360 , December 15, 2017 - Is Your Business Insured Against A Cyber Attack?
October 19, 2017 - Medium and Small Businesses are a Big Target for Cyber Attacks
A version of this article appeared in the October 13-19 edition of Providence Business News , October 13, 2017 - Securing Your Personal Data in an Insecure Cyber World
October 4, 2017 - Hey Rob Gronkowski, Don't Let Nike Push You Around!
July 18, 2017 - Online Contracting -- Getting It Right
May 9, 2017 - High Hopes Dashed -- Challenges in Protecting Trademarks for Marijuana-Related Products and Services
April 10, 2017 - Bring it On! Copyright Protects Cheerleader Uniform Designs (And Other Designs that Appear on Useful Items)!
March 27, 2017 - United States Trademark Update
December 14, 2016 - Protecting Your Intellectual Property Rights When Buying or Selling Your Agency
As seen in The Anchor, Third Quarter 2016 edition., Third Quarter 2016 - Protecting Your Intellectual Property Rights When Buying or Selling a Business
June 10, 2016 - Protecting Your Intellectual Property Rights When Buying or Selling a Business
As seen in Providence Business News on June 10, 2016., June 10, 2016 - Forget that Prince had no Will, What About the Estate Tax Problems?
May 5, 2016 - Online Contracts: We May Modify These Terms at Any Time, Right?
As seen in American Bar Association, Business Law Today., May 2016 - Did Led Zeppelin Steal the Stairway to Heaven?
April 14, 2016 - Plan Now to Comply with New Rhode Island Identity Theft Protection Act
February 2016 - U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's Refusal to Register Disparaging Trademarks Struck Down on First Amendment Grounds
January 2016 - "Don't Lose Out on Your .BANK Domain Name"
March - "U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to Reduce Filing Fees"
December 2014 - "Does Your Company Have An Information Security Program? Is it Up To Date?"
February 2014 - "Don't Lose Trademark Rights by Failing to Register Your Marks"
October 2013
Representative Speaking Engagements
- John Ottaviani Speaks to Lawyers About Blockchain, Virtual Currency and Smart Contracts
March 12, 2020 - The ABA Presents Blockchain Technology and Smart Contracts For the Business Lawyer
March 21, 2019 - INTA Roundtable Providence, U.S. Trademark Case Law Review
February 7, 2019 - At the America Bar Association's 2019 Cyberspace Law Institute, PS&H Partner John Ottaviani Presents
January 26, 2019 - PS&H Partner John Ottaviani is Panelist at Blockchain Event
Rhode Island Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Association, October 17, 2018 - John Ottaviani Hosted Trademark Due Diligence and Trademark Transactions Roundtable
March 28, 2018 - John Ottaviani Co-Moderated ABA Cyberspace Law Institute Meeting
January 25, 2018 - TechSandBox Fourth Annual Pitch Fest
December 8, 2016
Recognitions
- Chambers USA 2021 Recognizes Partridge Snow & Hahn
May 20, 2021 - Partridge Snow & Hahn Attorneys Named 2020 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
October 2020 - Partridge Snow & Hahn Attorneys Recognized in the 2021 Edition of Best Lawyers in America
August 20, 2020 - Partridge Snow & Hahn Attorneys Recognized in Professional Excellence Law Issue In Rhode Island Monthly
June 2020 - Chambers USA 2020 Recognizes Partridge Snow & Hahn
May 2020 - PS&H Attorneys Named 2019 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
October 2019 - Chambers USA 2019 Recognizes Partridge Snow & Hahn in Massachusetts and Rhode Island
May 1, 2019 - Partridge Snow & Hahn Attorneys Have Been Named to the 2019 Edition of Best Lawyers in America
November 5, 2018 - PS&H Attorneys Named 2018 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
American Lawyer Media, October 22. 2018 - Partridge Snow & Hahn Recognized in Chambers USA 2018 In Rhode Island and Massachusetts
May 7, 2018 - PS&H Attorneys Named 2017 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
October 2017 - Best Lawyers in America 2018 Names PS&H Providence Attorneys Bernardo, Gamboli, Gilden, Merten and McCarthy "Lawyers of the Year"
11 Attorneys in Providence and Boston Named “Best Lawyers”, August 16, 2017