Resources

Our “Get to Know BMD” series introduces you to the professionals who drive our firm’s success. We delve into the personal and professional stories of our team members, exploring their career paths, practice areas, and the passions that inspire their work. Get to Know BMD in this spotlight with Attorney Jeff Joseph Jr.

What is your practice area and why did you choose it?
I practice intellectual property law which encompasses patents, copyrights, and trademarks. I chose this field of law as I felt that working with patents specifically was a good fit with my engineering background, as I enjoy studying and learning about mechanical inventions, as well as learning about different technological fields via the inventions our clients bring to us to protect. I was also inspired to pursue patent law in particular by my late grandfather, who was a nuclear engineer and patent holder.

What do you enjoy most about practicing law?
The most rewarding aspect of my practice is the opportunity to learn about inventions and ideas, and then help transform them into tangible legal protections such as a patent, trademark, or copyright. Each invention or idea presents a unique challenge of not only deeply understanding a complex technology or an idea, but also crafting a strategy that sufficiently protects it. This collaborative process of turning inventions or ideas into enforceable rights is deeply fulfilling, as I get to play a pivotal role in encouraging innovation and protecting the fruits of my client's hard work.

If you weren't a lawyer, what alternative career path do you think you might have pursued?
I would probably pursue a career in coaching soccer at the high school or college level. I have played and refereed soccer most of my life, and also had the opportunity during college to coach an Ohio high school team that finished as a state runner-up and state champion in back-to-back years.

What was your first job ever, and what did it teach you that you still use in your legal career today?
I spent many high school summers working for a friend’s father who was a homebuilder. That job, which involved building houses from the ground up, taught me the importance of planning, ensuring things are done right the first time, and that there is no substitute for hard work…especially when you are framing a house under the hot summer sun!

Outside of the legal world, what is one skill or talent you possess that might surprise your colleagues?
I am a multi-instrumentalist who can play piano, guitar, bass, ukulele, and saxophone!