Webner, W. Mack Intellectual Property Adjunct Professorship Fund
The W. Mack Webner Intellectual Property Adjunct Professorship Fund was established with an initial gift from W. Mack Webner in 2003. Teaching excellence has always been a strong suit at The University of Akron School of Law. Advancing teaching excellence is, therefore, of great importance and a continual challenge. Through the generosity of W. Mack Webner, this fund will provide a financial resource for the director of the Center of Intellectual Property Law and Technology at The University of Akron School of Law to enhance the educational experience, providing students with unique opportunities to hear and learn different points of view from practicing attorneys.
W. Mack Webner holds two degrees from The University of Akron, a B.S. in business administration '64 and a JD '68. Mr. Webner was a member of Phi Kappa Epsilon (Lone Star) fraternity and Phi Alpha Delta (law) honorary society. He also holds an L.L.M. from New York University Law School.
Mr. Webner has served as partner with Sughrue Mion, PLLC (formerly known as Sughrue, Mion, Zinn, MacPeak & Seas, PLLC) since joining the firm in 1996. His areas of expertise include trademarks, unfair competition, copyrights, publicity right protection, and intellectual property, among others. He is a member of AIPLA and International Trademark Association.
Mack Webner began his legal career in 1964 as a trademark assistant and trademark attorney for the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. He left Goodyear in 1969 to become trademark counsel for International Harvester Company. From there, he served as trademark counsel and assistant patent counsel for GAF Corporation (1972-76); partner, Littlepage & Webner/Nies, Webner, Kurz & Bergert (1976-89); partner, Baker & Hostetler (1989-91); and partner, Vorys, Sater, Seymour & Pease (1991-96). During his career, Mr. Webner has represented the estates of such famed individuals as Elvis Presley, James Dean, Babe Ruth, and Charlie Chaplin.
Mr. Webner served as chair of the Intellectual Property Advisory Council of The University of Akron School of Law from its inception in 2000 until 2007. He is responsible for securing his firm as the primary sponsor of the School’s Intellectual Property Symposium.
Mr. Webner is married to the former Corinne Palmer, a 1964 alumnus of the University's College of Education and Alpha Gamma Delta member. Together, Mack and Corrine have supported other funds at the School of Law and established the W. Mack and Corinne Webner Endowed Moot Court Fund.
The W. Mack Webner Intellectual Property Adjunct Professorship Fund is designated to support the W. Mack Webner Intellectual Property Adjunct Professor. Funds can be used for the adjunct’s salary, travel, and other expenses.