Overview
R. Spencer Montei is a partner with Foley & Lardner LLP. Mr. Montei has broad intellectual property experience litigating patent, trade secret, trademark, copyright, and unfair competition lawsuits. This experience includes bringing and defending lawsuits in a variety of court and agency venues in all phases, from pre-suit investigation and counseling through pre-trial, trial, and appeal. Mr. Montei represents clients in federal district court, Section 337 intellectual property-based investigations before the U.S. International Trade Commission, and in post-grant proceedings before the USPTO.
Mr. Montei has counselled clients in diverse industries and technologies, including automotive (e.g., engine and emission control systems, filtration/separation, aftertreatment, electrified power, turbochargers), renewable energy (e.g., solar concentration, biofuels), IoT, personal care/health products, and software.
Mr. Montei’s diverse background litigating all kinds of intellectual property spanning different industries and technologies in different venues has dovetailed into a counseling practice, assisting clients with agreement and licensing issues and associated transactions.
Before beginning his legal career, Mr. Montei was a project engineer for a large general contractor in Southern California, which included experience managing electrical, mechanical, and plumbing contractors building a state-of-the-art hospital.
Mr. Montei is a member of the International Trade Commission Trial Lawyers Association.
Education
Mr. Montei received his law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School (J.D., cum laude, 2013), where he was senior managing editor for the Wisconsin Law Review. He earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Wisconsin – Madison (B.S., 2007).
Admissions and Professional Memberships
Mr. Montei is admitted to practice in Illinois and Wisconsin and before the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Western District of Wisconsin, and the Eastern District of Texas, as well as the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Mr. Montei is a former chair of the firm’s Associates Committee.