Timothy D. Sitzmann

My Approach

My favorite aspect of my job is collaborating with clients on a strategy to enhance the value of their businesses. I have had the good fortune to focus nearly exclusively on intellectual property issues for my entire career, developing a deep understanding of both the legal and business implications of intellectual property.

I utilize my expertise and experience to assist clients to develop, manage, and protect their intellectual property portfolio. Whether I’m managing a global trademark portfolio for a publicly traded company, or helping an early stage startup to prioritize its needs for launching a new product, my goal is to protect those assets that add value to your business. Every action an attorney makes should have a specific business justification. If a new application or a proposed enforcement action doesn’t add value, it only adds cost.

Each business has a different strategy, so the first discussion always focuses on identifying the intellectual property assets of the business, not just today, but also ten years down the road. Some businesses rely heavily on brands and trademarks, others on copyrights, and others on patents or trade secrets. More often than not, each business has assets that fall into multiple buckets. I work with my clients to develop and efficiently execute a strategy tailored to their business. This can include effective clearance for new trademarks, streamlined management of portfolios of all sizes, and purposeful enforcement efforts, both when defending against claims from others and preventing others from unfairly profiting off of your business’s assets.

My interest in intellectual property stems from seeking a creative outlet as part of my career. Whether playing bass in garage bands or acting or doing stand-up in college, I always found myself not just creating art, but managing the business: booking shows, managing the finances, and handling merchandise orders. I guess I was even my own first client, registering the copyright in our band’s first album as a senior in high school.

Outside of work, I spend time with my wife and our golden retriever, Hank, and I love watching the Minnesota Twins and my Iowa Hawkeyes. My guitars are still in tune for the times when a creative urge hits me.