Doug Bates is a shareholder with Clark Partington and is Chair of the Business Law Section. Douglas (“Doug”) Alan Bates, Shareholder & Commercial Litigation Department Chair, is proud to practice in the same town where he was born and raised. Living and working in Pensacola allows Doug to interact with lifelong friends on a daily basis, and allows him to serve as a trusted advisor to regional and Fortune 500 businesses that share his values of hard work, dedication, and personal service. Doug remains mindful that the opportunity to serve clients in his hometown is a great privilege, one that he never takes for granted. Doug’s practice is focused on commercial and real estate litigation, as well as bankruptcy and creditors’ rights matters.
Mark Stein of Mark Stein Law is Chair-Elect of the Business Law Section. Mark dedicates his practice exclusively to the areas of patent, trademark, copyright, computer, and internet law. He assists clients with trademark and copyright acquisition and counseling, intellectual property litigation and transactions and alternative dispute resolution. Mr. Stein has litigated, arbitrated and mediated cases in all areas of intellectual property law, including, trademark infringement, trade dress infringement, trademark counterfeiting, copyright infringement, patent infringement, unfair competition, federal trademark dilution, trade secrets violations, restrictive covenants, tortious interference, licensing and franchising, domain name disputes and a variety of intellectual property matters involving computers and the Internet. Mr. Stein has also counseled clients on trademark, copyright, trade secret and computer and Internet law issues and has provided guidance on documenting and protecting trade secrets, developing, and protecting computer software and protecting trademarks, copyrights and other intellectual property assets.
Kacy Donlon is a shareholder with Johnson, Newlon & DeCort and is Immediate Past Chair of the Business Law Section. Kacy has practiced in the area of commercial and securities litigation for over 20 years. Her practice is based on the principles instilled in her during her clerkship with a federal judge in Alabama – work hard for your client, be honest, and look for creative ways to win or resolve cases. Her main concentration is the defense of businesses and individuals involved in the securities and financial services industries, and she also has experience in a broad spectrum of commercial litigation matters, including employment disputes, class actions, business torts, and contract disputes. Kacy has handled complex matters in federal and state court as well as in arbitration, including the successful defense of numerous matters involving allegations relating to the sale of variable and equity-indexed annuities and other insurance product sales practices.
Role of the Executive Council
The Executive Council is the governing body of the Section and is made up of the Section’s officers, chairs and vice-chairs of the substantive and standing committees, and all members of the Long Range Planning committee.
