Peter J. Cronk

Representative Matters

• Represented CertainTeed Gypsum (formerly BPB plc), in a trademark opposition against National Gypsum involving the use of the color purple for gypsum construction boards in 2012. The gypsum boards are used for exterior and interior walls on commercial and residential buildings.

• Assisted our client, Multimodal Technologies, Inc. (M*Modal), with intellectual property matters central to its acquisition by MedQuist Holdings, Inc. for $130 million in 2011. MedQuist is a provider of solutions for healthcare providers to create structured, encoded and shareable clinical documents.

• Negotiated a multi-year agreement for our client Next Biometrics, SA, to supply unique fingerprint sensors to a major competitor in the Chinese security market. Next Biometrics has produced the world's first mass-produced high-quality fingerprint sensors on a low-cost, large area substrate based upon its proprietary "Active Thermal Principle." The Chinese company is a high-tech enterprise dedicated in biological identification field, mainly engaged in R & D, production, sales and services of biological identification technologies to provide financial, education, government and military sectors with the overall security solutions.

• Obtained a summary judgment ruling in favor of a major manufacturer of building materials on its false advertising claims against an entity that billed itself as providing unbiased information about roofing products sold in Washington state. A federal court determined that the entity's statements about the client's roofing shingles were false and misleading in violation of the Lanham Act and the Washington Consumer Protection Act and permanently enjoined it from making such statements in the future.

• Counsel to CertainTeed Corporation in joint development agreement with Energy Conversion devices (ECD), leading global manufacturer of thin-film flexible solar laminates, to make roofing-integrated photovoltaic products for the residential market.

• Counsel to CertainTeed Corporation in joint development agreement with Solar Roofing Systems, Inc., a Philadelphia start-up company, to develop rigid polymer roofing having photovoltaic capability.

• Counsel to Saint-Gobain Technical Fabrics America, Inc. in acquisition of assets and technology of Giuidi USA of Ridgeway, South Carolina, including patents and licenses to high-quality glass fine yarn fabrics and processes for construction, composite and industrial sectors

• Nichiha USA, Inc v. CertainTeed Corporation and Saint-Gobain Materiaux De Construction S.A.S. (M.D. Ga. 2008) (patent infringement suit involving fiber cement building products)
• CTA Acoustics v. CertainTeed Corporation (Corbin, Ky) trade secret litigation involving glass fiber duct liner products following a tragic explosion and fire at the CTA Acoustics plan on February 2003, which killed 7 people and caused over $100 million in alleged damages.
• John A. Bailey v. Wincup Holdings, Inc.
  (D. Ma. 1999) (first chair, patent infringement relating to coffee cup lids)
• F.W. Woolworth v. Kalan, Inc.
  (E.D. Pa. 1998) (first chair, copyright, trademark and trade dress infringement action relating to novelty items sold in Afterthoughts boutiques)

• Federal Circuit affirmed decision of non-infringement of plastic grocery bag patent)

• Data Systems Analysts v. XcelleNet, Inc., Netplex Systems, Inc. and T.D.S., Inc.
  (D.N.J. 1998) (first chair, copyright, breach of software agreement for remote communications software)
• F.W. Woolworth v. Windsport Int'l
  (E.D. Pa. 1997) (first chair, trade dress dispute relating to ornamental windsocks)
• Luigi Bormioli Corp. v. Minners Corp.
  (S.D.N.Y. 1997) (first chair, trade dress infringement suit involving wine glass configurations)
• Wincup Holdings Corp. v. Solo Cup Corp.
  (N.D. Ill. (patent infringement suit involving coffee cup lids and features)
• Design By Us v. Insulair Corp.
  (N.D. Cal.) (patent infringement action relating to biodegradable insulated cups and sleeves)
• A.B.C., Inc. v. Daewoo International and Sharp Electronics et al.
  (D.N.J.) (patent infringement action relating to facsimile machines, and breach of indemnification agreement)
• Wilmar Industries, Inc. v. Wilco Plumbing, Inc.
  (D.N.J.) (copyright infringement action involving plumbing supply catalogs)
• Balo Precision v. Pacific Coast Technologies
  (D.N.J.) (patent infringement relating to hermetic electronic connectors)
• Pierangeli Group, Inc. v. Omni mfg.
  (E.D. Pa.) (trade dress infringement relating to FLIP-IT brand stoppers)
• Piccadilly Shoes plc v. R. Griggs Mfg. plc
  (D. Nev.) (trademark infringement relating to features of Dr. Marten's Shoes)
• A-lock Products Co. v. Empi Corp.
  (E.D. Pa.) (trade dress dispute relating to large drainage pipe gaskets)
• Catalano v. Arrow International Inc.
  (E.D. Pa.) (patent infringement matter relating to peripheral catheters; jury verdict in favor of our client, Arrow International)
• Dr. Mahurkar v. Arrow International Inc.
  (N.D. Ill.) (patent infringement matter relating to bi-lumen catheters) jury verdict in favor of our client, Arrow International)
• Sonoco Products Co. v. Mobil Oil Corp.
  15 USPQ 2d 1186 (D.S.C.)
  15 USPQ 2d 1194 (Fed. Cir.) (bench trial judgment in favor of Sonoco Products; (Federal Circuit affirmed decision of non-infringement of plastic grocery bag patent)

Patents

• Inventor, "Discreet Motor Vehicle Window Shade," U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,524, November 19, 1996

• Inventor, "Medicated Nasal Dilator," U.S. Pat. No. 5,706,800, January 13, 1998, licensed to CNS, Inc., Bloomington, Minnesota

• Inventor, "Portable Computing Device with Leather Grain Top," U.S. Des. No. 407,386

Admissions

• U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• Supreme Court of New Jersey

Education

• Seton Hall University School of Law, J.D., 1986

Experience

• Duane Morris LLP
  - Partner, 1994-present
• Synnestvedt & Lechner, Philadelphia, PA
  - Partner, 1991-1994
  - Associate, 1990-1991
• Woodcock, Washburn, Kurtz, Mackiewicz & Norris, Philadelphia, PA
  - Associate, 1986-1990

Board Memberships

• President, Sunny Brook Swim Club Board, 2015
• Board Member, Moorestown Friends School, 2012

Professional Activities

• Co-Chair, New Jersey Intellectual Property Lawyers Association Licensing Seminar, 1997, 1999
• American Bar Association
• Pennsylvania Bar Association
• New Jersey State Bar Association
• Camden County Bar Association
  - Young Lawyers Executive Committee
• Intellectual Property Owners, Inc.
• American Intellectual Property Law Association
• New Jersey Patent Law Association
  - Committee Chair, 1994
• Philadelphia Intellectual Property Law Association
• Former Adjunct Professor, Lehigh University, College of Business and Economics

Honors and Awards

• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, 2017-2024

• Listed in Chambers USA: America's Leading Business Lawyers, 2006-2024

• Listed as a "Trademark Star" in Managing Intellectual Property's IP Stars, 2013, 2015-2023

• Listed in Best Lawyers Greater Philadelphia, 2016

No aspect of these rankings has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Further information on methodologies is available via these links.

Civic and Charitable Activities

• Allan P. Kirby Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, Wilkes University
  -Mentor, 2016-2017
  
• Ben Franklin Emerging Business Awards
  -Founder, 1995
• Entrepreneurs' Forum of Greater Philadelphia, Inc.
  - President, 1994-1995
• Homeless Advocacy Project of Philadelphia
  - Board Member, 1992-1993
• Ben Franklin Technology Center
  - Applied Research and Development Committee, 1994

Selected Publications

• Co-Author, "From Labs to Riches: Factors to Consider When Negotiating Patent Licenses," Legal Intelligencer, March 1997

Selected Speaking Engagements

• On Air Guest on "Mind Your Business" on SiriusXM 132, Business Radio Powered by the Wharton School, May 2019

• Guest Lecturer, Wharton SBDC Strategic Business Planning Seminar, January 2019

• Guest Lecturer, Department of Material Science, Lehigh University, September 2018.

• Advisor, Strategic Planning Workshop, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, February 20, 2018

• Speaker, Experts Tackle Four Tough Pre-Litigation Issues," PBI's Third Annual IP Institute, March 5-6, 2009
• Year 2000 Conference, co-sponsored by Emerald Research and Safeguard Scientifics, Inc., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 19, 1997
• "Internet Intellectual Property Practice," Sixth Annual Convention of the Australian New Zealand American Chambers of Commerce, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 7, 1996
• "Strategic Business Planning for Emerging Businesses," Eighth National Conference on Business Incubation, conducted by the National Business Incubation Association, Buffalo, New York, May 14-17, 1994