icon on “As an engineer-turned-attorney, I protect the innovative function and appearance of your products.”
Sam concentrates his practice in patent, trademark, and trade secret law.
Over the course of his career, he has prepared and prosecuted an extraordinary array of patent applications for mechanical and electro-mechanical systems, including automotive interiors; braking, cable, pedal, seating, and steering assemblies; vehicle door and window seals; vehicle shifters; axles; climate control systems; extruders; bottle-filling machines; printing presses; garage cabinets; crash-test dummies; fiber optic cables; marine products; medical devices; and semi-automatic firearms. Sam has also prosecuted numerous computer algorithm and method-of-doing-business patent applications.
He has drafted and negotiated numerous patent and trademark licenses on behalf of licensors and licensees and been involved in various IP due diligence projects for a number of mergers and acquisitions.
Sam regularly trains and mentors law students through Howard & Howard's Intellectual Property Intern Program. The Firm's unique law clerk arrangement brings candidates with engineering or equivalent technical degrees to work full-time in its IP practice while attending law school. He and his IP colleagues have worked to position this program as a model for the industry.
Services
Intellectual Property
When ideas translate into products, processes, art, or authorship, we help clients protect their innovations and commercialize their work.
Credentials
Education
- Detroit College of Law, 1998
- J.D., cum laude
- University of Central Florida, 1993
- B.S., Aerospace Engineering
Memberships
- American Bar Association
- State Bar of Michigan
- Intellectual Property Law Section
Admissions
- Michigan, 1998
- Supreme Court of the United States, 2007
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, 1998
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, 1998
Professional Achievements
- The Best Lawyers in America®, 2021-2027
- Michigan Leading Lawyers, 2017-2023
- Advisory Board, 2024-2025
- "Detroit 500 Most Powerful Leaders," 2025
- Managing IP, "IP Star," 2013-2015; 2021
- dbusiness, "Top Lawyers," 2012-2014; 2016; 2020; 2024
- Michigan Super Lawyers, 2011-2019
- Michigan Super Lawyers, "Rising Stars," 2008
- "Patent, Trademark, and Copyright." Michigan Institute of Continuing Legal Education Business Forms Book, Co-author, Vol. 2, 2017, Ch.13.
Experience
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Co-counsel for the patent holder in the noted KSR Int. v. Teleflex Inc. intellectual property case in which the U.S. Supreme Court made its seminal ruling concerning the issues of obviousness as applied to patent claims.
Media
Media20
August
Press Release
Howard & Howard Attorneys Recognized in the 2027 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America®Alexander S. McGee, Andrew (Jake) Grove, Arthur O. Rogers, II, Bill Blancke, Brett G. Garwood ... , Brian A. Kreucher, Brian W. Boschee, Bruce W. Benson, Caleb L. Green, Christopher M. Warburton, Dane M. Lepola, Daniel Chojnowski, Daniel H. Bliss, David L. Edelblute, David M. LaPrairie, Gerald E. McGlynn, III, Gwen Rutar Mullins, Hubert H. Yi, Jim Morgan, Joanna M. Myers, John J. Savage, Jon D. Kreucher, Jonathan F. Karmo, Jonathan W. Fountain, Kevin C. Backus, Kristine A. Miller, Kristopher K. Hulliberger, Madison Scaggs, Mark J. Gardberg, Matthew J. Kreutzer, Michael V. Kell, Miles T. Macik, Nicholas T. Chapie, Patrick M. McCarthy, Paul S. Mazzola, Richard J. Cantor, Robert Hernquist, Robert L. Rosenthal, Rodger Kershner, Sam Haidle, Seaton J. Curran, Stephanie Sitto, Timothy M. Wittebort, Todd E. Kennedy, W. West Allen
17
August
Press Release
45 Howard & Howard Attorneys Named to the 2024 Edition of Best Lawyers in America© and Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch”Adrianna Agosta Nichol, Andrew (Jake) Grove, Arthur O. Rogers, II, Bill Blancke, Brett G. Garwood ... , Brian A. Kreucher, Bruce W. Benson, Christopher A. Cali, Dane M. Lepola, Daniel Chojnowski, Daniel H. Bliss, David L. Edelblute, Gerald E. McGlynn, III, Gwen Rutar Mullins, Jon D. Kreucher, Jonathan F. Karmo, Jonathan W. Fountain, Kevin C. Backus, Kristine A. Miller, Kristopher K. Hulliberger, Marcus Smetka, Mark J. Gardberg, Matthew J. Kreutzer, Michael D. Solt, Michael V. Kell, Miles T. Macik, Noah A. Menold, Patrick M. McCarthy, Paul S. Mazzola, Richard J. Cantor, Robert Hernquist, Robert L. Rosenthal, Rodger Kershner, Rui Lu, Ryan W. Gardner, Sam Haidle, Seaton J. Curran, W. West Allen
18
August
Press Release
Thirty-Five Howard & Howard Attorneys Named to The Best Lawyers in America© and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America 2023Adrianna Agosta Nichol, Alexander S. McGee, Andrew (Jake) Grove, Brett G. Garwood, Christopher A. Cali ... , Dane M. Lepola, Daniel H. Bliss, Gerald E. McGlynn, III, Gwen Rutar Mullins, Jonathan F. Karmo, Kevin C. Backus, Kristopher K. Hulliberger, Marcus Smetka, Mark J. Gardberg, Matthew J. Kreutzer, Michael V. Kell, Miles T. Macik, Noah A. Menold, Patrick M. McCarthy, Paul S. Mazzola, R. Saleha Mohamedulla, Richard J. Cantor, Robert Hernquist, Robert L. Rosenthal, Rodger Kershner, Sam Haidle, Seaton J. Curran, W. West Allen
22
November
26
August
Press Release
Twenty-Eight Howard & Howard Attorneys Named to The Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America 2022Adrianna Agosta Nichol, Andrew (Jake) Grove, Daniel H. Bliss, Gerald E. McGlynn, III, Gwen Rutar Mullins ... , Kristopher K. Hulliberger, Marcus Smetka, Mark J. Gardberg, Matthew J. Kreutzer, Michael V. Kell, Miles T. Macik, Noah A. Menold, Patrick M. McCarthy, Paul S. Mazzola, Robert Hernquist, Robert L. Rosenthal, Rodger Kershner, Sam Haidle, Seaton J. Curran, W. West Allen
20
August
Press Release
Howard & Howard Congratulates Attorneys Named to Best Lawyers® and Best Lawyers®: Ones to Watch 2021Adrianna Agosta Nichol, Andrew (Jake) Grove, Daniel H. Bliss, Gerald E. McGlynn, III, Gwen Rutar Mullins ... , Jon D. Kreucher, Kristopher K. Hulliberger, Marcus Smetka, Mark J. Gardberg, Matthew J. Kreutzer, Michael V. Kell, Miles T. Macik, Noah A. Menold, Patrick M. McCarthy, Paul S. Mazzola, Robert Hernquist, Robert L. Rosenthal, Rodger Kershner, Sam Haidle, Seaton J. Curran, W. West Allen
17
September
Press Release
Twenty-two Howard & Howard Attorneys Named to Michigan Super Lawyers and Michigan Rising StarsAndrew (Jake) Grove, David M. LaPrairie, Gerald E. McGlynn, III, Jake Woolbright, Mark A. Davis ... , Mark C. Vanneste, Mark W. Peyser, Michael O. Fawaz, Miles T. Macik, Patrick M. McCarthy, Sam Haidle, Timothy M. Wittebort
18
September
Press Release
Thirty Howard & Howard Attorneys Named to Michigan Super Lawyers and Rising Stars 2018Andrew (Jake) Grove, David M. LaPrairie, Gerald E. McGlynn, III, Jake Woolbright, Mark A. Davis ... , Mark C. Vanneste, Mark W. Peyser, Mary C. Dirkes, Michael O. Fawaz, Miles T. Macik, Nicholas T. Chapie, Patrick M. McCarthy, Sam Fares, Sam Haidle, Timothy M. Wittebort
18
June
Press Release
Thirty Howard & Howard Attorneys Named to Michigan 'Leading Lawyers' 2018Andrew (Jake) Grove, Brad Knickerbocker, Daniel H. Bliss, Gary A. Peters, Gerald E. McGlynn, III ... , Henry J. Brennan, Mark A. Davis, Mark W. Peyser, Michael V. Kell, Michael Wais, Patrick M. McCarthy, Robert E. Graziani, Rodger Kershner, Sam Haidle, Timothy M. Wittebort, Wayne C. Inman
19
September
Press Release
Howard & Howard Congratulates Our Attorneys Named to Michigan 'Super Lawyers' and Michigan 'Rising Stars' 2017Andrew (Jake) Grove, David M. LaPrairie, Gerald E. McGlynn, III, Jake Woolbright, Kristopher K. Hulliberger ... , Mark A. Davis, Mark W. Peyser, Mary C. Dirkes, Michael O. Fawaz, Miles T. Macik, Patrick M. McCarthy, Robert E. Graziani, Sam Fares, Sam Haidle, Timothy M. Wittebort
28
September
Press Release
Howard & Howard Congratulates Our Attorneys Named to Michigan 'Super Lawyers' and Michigan 'Rising Stars' 2016Andrew (Jake) Grove, David M. LaPrairie, Gerald E. McGlynn, III, Kristopher K. Hulliberger, Mark A. Davis ... , Mark W. Peyser, Mary C. Dirkes, Michael O. Fawaz, Michael V. Kell, Michael Wais, Patrick M. McCarthy, Robert E. Graziani, Sam Haidle, Timothy M. Wittebort
15
September
Press Release
Howard & Howard Congratulates Our Attorneys Named to Michigan 'Super Lawyers' and Michigan 'Rising Stars' 2015David M. LaPrairie, Gerald E. McGlynn, III, Kristopher K. Hulliberger, Mark A. Davis, Mark W. Peyser ... , Mary C. Dirkes, Michael O. Fawaz, Michael V. Kell, Michael Wais, Patrick M. McCarthy, Robert E. Graziani, Sam Haidle, Timothy M. Wittebort
9
September
Press Release
Howard & Howard Congratulates Our Attorneys Named to Michigan 'Super Lawyers' and Michigan 'Rising Stars' 2014David M. LaPrairie, Gerald E. McGlynn, III, Kristopher K. Hulliberger, Mark A. Davis, Mark W. Peyser ... , Mary C. Dirkes, Michael O. Fawaz, Michael V. Kell, Michael Wais, Patrick M. McCarthy, Robert E. Graziani, Sam Haidle, Timothy M. Wittebort
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