ALLENTOWN, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb 9, 2026--
Saxton & Stump extended its Pennsylvania footprint into the Lehigh Valley with the opening of a new Allentown office and the addition of a globally recognized intellectual property team, advancing the law firm’s long-term strategy of delivering sophisticated, client-centered legal services in key growth markets.
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Effective Feb. 9, the professionals of Design IP, a highly regarded intellectual property boutique law firm with a global client base, joined Saxton & Stump. This move deepens the firm’s IP procurement, strategy, and litigation capabilities within its Intellectual Property and Intellectual Property Litigation groups. The expansion positions Saxton & Stump to better serve innovation-driven businesses across the Lehigh Valley and beyond by pairing this team with the firm’s existing IP team and full-service capabilities, including complex litigation, corporate transactions, regulatory counseling, labor and employment, data privacy, and government relations.
The addition includes three attorneys, shareholder and former Design IP managing partner Damon Neagle, senior counsel Michael Berkowitz, and associate Tyler Donato, along with paralegal Jannifer Walters, collectively bringing nearly 60 years of intellectual property experience, including patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret procurement and enforcement. The group is particularly distinguished for its globally recognized design patent expertise and strong track record in favorably resolving IP disputes.
“We were intentional about how we wanted to grow our IP practice,” Saxton & Stump Intellectual Property Group Chair Andrew Oltmans said. “Bringing in the sophisticated design‑patent and intellectual property talent of Damon and his team complements our existing bench, significantly expands the number of registered patent attorneys in our group, and provides the scale needed to serve innovative companies of every size.”
Neagle draws on more than 25 years of broad-based IP experience to provide clients with sophisticated, practical, and business-focused IP strategies and advice. He has experience with complex technologies in a wide range of industries such as medical devices, advanced manufacturing systems, industrial gas production, military equipment, and consumer electronics. He is a recognized leader in design patent law, having prosecuted hundreds of U.S. and foreign design patents. He has shaped design patent law and policy through amicus briefs in appeals of significant design patent cases and as a former chair of the American Intellectual Property Law Association Industrial Designs Committee. He is also an experienced IP litigator and has served as a non-testifying design patent expert in third party litigation. He earned his law degree from the Washington University School of Law and civil and environmental engineering degree from the University of Iowa College of Engineering.
Berkowitz guides domestic and international clients through the full intellectual property lifecycle, with a focus on protecting innovation, managing risk, and creating long-term enterprise value. He earned his law degree from Widener University School of Law and his industrial engineering degree from Lehigh University.
Donato supports clients in preparing and prosecuting utility and design patents and trademarks, advising on the feasibility of obtaining a patent or registering a trademark, conducting freedom-to-operate analyses, and investigating infringement matters. He received his law degree from Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law and earned his B.S. from Rowan University.
Walters joins the firm as an experienced paralegal supporting patent and trademark prosecution. She is also a certified notary public.
“Saxton & Stump’s well-established intellectual property practice and collaborative culture create a powerful platform for our clients,” Neagle said. “Joining a full-service firm strengthens our ability to serve the needs of our clients, and the firm’s expansion to the Lehigh Valley brings additional legal capabilities and resources to area businesses. This is a region rich with growing, innovative companies, and we look forward to serving their legal needs.”
Saxton & Stump’s new Lehigh Valley office will initially be located at 1575 Pond Road, Suite 201, in Allentown, and is the firm's 11th office. Chairman James W. Saxton said the firm is in the process of securing a larger office space to support continued growth and to establish a permanent, full-service Lehigh Valley hub aligned with the firm’s long-term commitment to the regional business community.
Saxton & Stump’s strategic growth outlook
With 300 professionals, including more than 150 attorneys, Saxton & Stump continues to grow through its innovative, collaborative model that attracts top legal talent. This expanding platform enhances the firm’s ability to serve clients and includes seven growing affiliated companies that extend its business advisory reach nationwide.
Saxton & Stump provides solutions to complex legal and business challenges with five-star service and results-focused advice, offering a refreshingly different experience for clients, attorneys, and business professionals alike.
Photo courtesy of Saxton & Stump
