overview
Michael “Max” Sneyd focuses his practice on assisting clients with business issues, intellectual property protection, contract formation and negotiation, and entrepreneurial growth. With 25 years of experience, he leads the firm’s Intellectual Property practice group.
Practice Areas
Bio
Max has a broad range of expertise assisting clients navigate business issues from a legal perspective. He has considerable experience in drafting and negotiating commercial contracts, terms and conditions of sale and master agreements for the sale of goods or provision of services. Max is also able to assist clients with business formations, employment, lending relationships, restructurings, real estate, resolving troubled business situations and buying and selling businesses. Max particularly enjoys helping entrepreneurs and small businesses grow mere ideas into viable, thriving businesses.
Max leads the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group which focuses on the protection, licensing and enforcement of clients’ intangible rights. He has extensive experience prosecuting trademark applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, as well as litigating trademark disputes before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. He also regularly assists clients in negotiating technology licenses and other intellectual property agreements.
Max is also experienced in commercial litigation, appearing regularly before state, federal and appellate courts on matters related to all aspects of civil business litigation, including supplier disputes, intellectual property infringement actions and business torts. He also utilizes alternative dispute resolution to efficiently achieve positive results outside the courtroom.
Max’s clients have included public and private companies in the technology, manufacturing, professional services, entertainment, food, distribution, transportation and retail industries. He serves as corporate counsel for a number of businesses, handling their various legal needs.
A respected attorney and author, Max has presented seminars and publishes regularly on business and intellectual property matters. He also holds regular office hours at TechTown Detroit for its “Ask an Expert” Program.
Download Max’s brochure Starting Your Start Up Right: Before you can put your idea into practice, you need to protect yourself and your intellectual property …
credentials
Affiliations
- American Bar Association
- State Bar of Michigan
- Intellectual Property Section
- Litigation Section
- TechTown Detroit
- Professional Service Network
- Ask an Expert Program, Resident Legal Expert
- Fox Hills Community Association, President
Bar and Court Admissions
- Michigan
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
- United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan
- United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- Michigan Court of Appeals
Clerkship
- Hon. Martin M. Doctoroff, Chief Judge Michigan Court of Appeals
Education
- Wayne State University Law School, J.D.
- Miami University, B.A.
Insights & News
October 5, 2022
Intellectual Property Audits -- Do You Have a Plan to Protect your Intellectual Property?
June 6, 2022
Lemon Law in the Age of Electric Vehicles
August 30, 2021
Kerr Russell Wins Summary Disposition in Trademark Matter
June 3, 2021
Intellectual Property Essentials for Entrepreneurs
May 28, 2021
Common Mistakes That Can Attract Copyright Trolls
May 11, 2021
Upcoming Webinar: Intellectual Property Essentials for Entrepreneurs
September 15, 2020
Max Sneyd Discusses Force Majeure Clauses During A Global Pandemic On OESA's Automotive Insider Podcast
August 25, 2020
Why You Should Take Advantage of Your Business Incubator's Legal Services
May 18, 2020
Opportunities and Obstacles for Contractors in a COVID-19 Economy
March 17, 2020
Coronavirus/COVID-19 Business Continuity: A Message to Our Community, Clients and Friends
November 25, 2019
Balancing an Open Court System with the First Amendment Right to Anonymity
June 4, 2019
Max Sneyd Discusses Intellectual Property on Recent Podcast
November 9, 2018
Wayne State students partner with Kerr Russell to create a non-profit organization to provide meals to those in need in Metro Detroit.
September 18, 2018
Max Sneyd quoted in Forbes article "Elon Musk Sued By Rescue Diver Following Twitter Attacks"
June 24, 2018
Max Sneyd presents "Starting Your Start Up Right" to capacity crowd at Detroit TechStars Start Up Week
April 23, 2018
Kerr Russell colleagues and family members spend Earth Day 2018 volunteering at Votrobeck Playground
March 16, 2018
Kerr Russell's Max Sneyd quoted in Forbes' article "First Death Of A Pedestrian Struck By An Autonomous Vehicle May Set Tone For Lawyers And Liability"
January 26, 2018
Download Kerr Russell's updated firm brochure and overview of services
December 18, 2017
Kerr Russell team makes holiday donations to Capuchin Soup Kitchen, Wigs 4 Kids, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Ann Arbor, and Children's Hospital of Michigan
November 30, 2017
Merry and bright ... Kerr Russell welcomes the holiday season
November 30, 2017
Kerr Russell, Boulevard Investment lunch and learn
November 16, 2017
Culture of Connection - new Kerr Russell ad to appear in Michigan Lawyers Weekly and dbusiness
November 13, 2017
Starting Your Start Up Right
November 3, 2017
Kerr Russell launches new advertising in upcoming issues of dbusiness and Crain's Detroit
November 1, 2017
Kerr Russell ranked in the 2018 U.S. News - Best Lawyers® "Best Law Firms" list nationally in 1 practice area and regionally in 17 practice areas
October 6, 2017
Team spirit ... for some great causes
September 27, 2017
business Magazine covers Kerr Russell's participation in Detroit Chinese Business Association International Golf Outing
August 15, 2017
Max Sneyd interviewed for MLive article "Yes, Red Wings could go after hate groups using their logo"
August 10, 2017
A culture of giving
April 20, 2017
Max Sneyd and Katherine Cser prevail on summary disposition motion for local snack foods company
November 10, 2016
DeLine and Sneyd prevail in issue of first impression in auto supplier dispute pending in Wayne County Business Court
April 10, 2016
Max Sneyd and Jacquelyn Klima obtained a $3.7 million judgment and a permanent injunction for Nedschroef Detroit Corp. in a federal case involving trademark infringement and the theft of trade secrets. The judgment was affirmed by the Sixth Circuit Court
December 29, 2013
Max Sneyd authors "Controlling Corporate Information on Personal Devices" for the Kerr Russell Intellectual Property Newsletter
October 11, 2013
Max Sneyd authors "Choosing a Name for Your Business, a Trademark Perspective" for the Kerr Russell IP Newsletter
March 13, 2013
Max Sneyd authors "Is Your Business Protected from Cybersquatters?" for the Kerr Russell Intellectual Property Newsletter
Representative Matters
Representing a national recording artist in a trademark dispute regarding junior user’s adoption of an infringing stage name
Enforcing the registered service mark of a well-known transportation company against multiple infringers
Representing a Tier I auto supplier in a contract dispute regarding tooling and re-sourcing
General Counsel to startup manufacturer of electric vehicles