Member • Co-chair, Intellectual Property
Shawn helps guide the firm’s approach to innovation protection and intellectual property portfolio strategy. His practice spans all aspects of IP law, with a primary focus on patent matters, including filing and prosecution, enforcement, licensing, and risk-avoidance strategies.
He advises clients on strategic IP portfolio development and management, evaluates and prepares non-infringement and invalidity opinions, and structures and negotiates complex agreements involving patents, trade secrets, copyrights, and product development. He also provides counsel on IP aspects of diligence in mergers, acquisitions, and other strategic transactions.
Shawn helps clients align their IP strategy with broader business goals, maximizing innovation value while minimizing legal and competitive risk.
With an international practice, Shawn partners with an extensive global network of foreign counsel to manage intellectual property portfolios worldwide. He represents clients across a variety of technical and manufacturing industries, including advanced materials, medical textiles, food processing, and construction robotics. Drawing on his background in chemical engineering, he is well-versed in navigating complex intellectual property issues in these sectors.
Shawn is the co-chair of McNees’ Intellectual Property Group and is a member of the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA). He regularly writes and speaks on developments in patent law, artificial intelligence, and IP strategy in the context of business transactions. His work has appeared in The Legal Intelligencer, JD Supra, and publications of the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC).
He serves on the executive boards of the Capital Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC) and Scouting America’s New Birth of Freedom Council. In 2025, he was recognized as a Trailblazer in Economic and Workforce Development by City & State Pennsylvania.
Explore recent thought leadership, news, and other updates.
Patents are often perceived as an expense reserved for large technology companies or pharmaceutical giants. In reality, businesses of all sizes and across all industries use patents as strategic assets to generate measurable financial returns, deter competitors, and position companies for long-term growth. Understanding why others invest in patents is the first step toward evaluating […]
Intellectual property attorney Shawn Leppo presented at the World Trade Center Harrisburg’s 2026 International Trade Conference on May 12, 2026, in Lancaster, PA. Shawn’s presentation, “IP Primer and International IP Considerations,” focused on considerations for developing an international IP strategy, including options for extending protection outside the U.S., an overview of relevant IP treaties, and […]
Intellectual property attorney Shawn Leppo presented at the Bucknell University Small Business Development Center (SBDC)‘s GrowForward Agricultural Innovation Series webinar on May 18, 2026. Shawn joined Ian Proud, an innovation consultant with Bucknell SBDC, for a conversation about helping small businesses recognize and protect their intellectual property. Shawn’s practice spans all aspects of intellectual property […]
Reprinted with permission from the January 20, 2026 issue of Law360. Further duplication without permission is prohibited. All rights reserved. Nintendo Co. Ltd.’s efforts to obtain and enforce patents have long generated strong opinions in the gamer community. Its ongoing patent infringement case against “Palworld” developer Pocket Pair, alleging that the game’s mechanics are too […]
Advises inventors, entrepreneurs, and companies on patent, trademark, and trade secret matters. Supports IP strategy, portfolio management, and commercialization.
Advises companies and individuals on intellectual property protection and commercial contracts. Focuses on trademark, copyright, and trade secret matters.
Represents businesses on IP protection and licensing. Advises on trademark, copyright, franchising, technology, and artificial intelligence matters.
Supports attorneys and clients in intellectual property matters, namely, trademark and copyright matters. She works on applications, maintenance, and searches.
