Industries

Education

  • University of Virginia, B.A. (1971) Phi Beta Kappa
  • University of Chicago Law School, J.D. (1975)

John I. Stewart Jr.

Retired Partner
jstewart@crowellretiredpartners.com

John I. Stewart, Jr. is a retired partner in the firm's Washington, D.C. office, where he practiced communications, copyright, and technology law. John served clients principally within the Technology, Media, and Telecommunications sector of the Intellectual Property and Advertising & Media groups.

John's practice encompassed intellectual property, internet, and telecommunications matters. He has special experience in the application of intellectual property laws in regulated industries, including the communications and technology sectors. An early participant in the developing law of e-commerce and the internet, John counseled clients on law and technology issues. Besides his work on technology partnerships and licenses, global privacy law compliance, online and conventional publishing agreements, software development agreements, open source licensing programs, and website liability issues, John litigated over 15 industry-wide cable and satellite copyright royalty cases since 1980. He also litigated cybersquatting and DMCA safe harbor cases, as well as cutting-edge trademark matters.

Representative Litigation Matters

  • Represented the U.S. commercial television industry in extensive evidentiary hearings to determine the allocation of over $300 million in cable copyright royalties among seven parties. Won significant increase in previous royalty award.
  • Filed suit on behalf of copyright owner against website operator for infringement under "red flag" exemption to DMCA immunity.  Achieved settlement before trial.
  • Pursued multiple trademark oppositions for telecommunications company against registrations of sound marks sought by manufacturer.  Achieved landmark victory before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.

Representative Counseling and Regulatory Matters

  • Led efforts to obtain FCC regulatory approvals covering radio and wireless licenses for two separate multi-step airline mergers.
  • Created foundational agreements to acquire and confirm ownership of all necessary intellectual property rights in contributions by government employees and other professionals to definitive reference standards published by a leading professional association.
  • Provided strategic counsel and assisted in drafting licenses and governing documents for the creation of a new foundation that will manage the development and global operation of a core Internet resource.

John is a member of the Bar of the District of Columbia, and of the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. John is a member of the Section of Intellectual Property Law of the American Bar Association and the Intellectual Property Section of the D.C. Bar. He was recognized by The Best Lawyers in America in the area of technology law since 2008. John was peer rated "AV Preeminent" by Martindale-Hubbell. He was a charter member of the Legal Advisory Board of the Copyright Alliance.

John provided IP counsel on a pro bono basis to a number of non-profit organizations. He served as an elected member of the firm's Management Board for six years, and served as the firm's first General Counsel until September 2016.

At the University of Chicago Law School, John was topics and comment editor of the Law Review, and won the Wall Street Journal Award in 1974. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. with distinction in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia. His undergraduate honors include a Short Story Prize in the Hollins Critic Literary contest. He and his wife, a clinical psychologist, live in Chevy Chase, Maryland.



Insights

Speeches & Presentations

  • "What's Next After the Big Reveal of New gTLDs?" Webinar (June 18, 2012). Presenter: John I. Stewart, Jr.
  • "Some Legal Rules of the Road for Non-Brand gTLDs: Competition and Community," Webinar (September 28, 2011). Presenter: John I. Stewart, Jr.
  • "Ready for the new gTLDs? Strategic Considerations and Global Brand Enforcement Challenges for Brand Owners in Light of ICANN's 'New gTLD Program'," Crowell & Moring Seminar, San Francisco (May 2011). Speakers: John L. Murino and John I. Stewart, Jr.
  • "What's Next for the New gTLDs," Crowell & Moring Webinar (December 16, 2010). Speakers: John L. Murino and John I. Stewart, Jr.
  • "ICANN's New gTLD Program: Considerations for Brand Owners," Crowell & Moring Webinar (October 27, 2010). Speaker: John L. Murino and John I. Stewart, Jr.
  • "Creating and Receiving Value for Your Secrets," Trade Secrets Law Seminar - Washington, DC (October 2004). Speaker: John I. Stewart, Jr.
  • "Intellectual Property and the Historian in the New Millenium: A Roundtable Discussion," Annual Meeting, Organization of American Historians/National Council on Public History - Washington, DC, published in The Public Historian, Vol. 26, No. 2 (Spring 2004). Moderator: John I. Stewart, Jr.
  • "IP Issues, Copyright Licensing and Contributory Infringement," North American Counsel Roundtable - Washington, DC (March 2004). Speaker: John I. Stewart, Jr.
  • "Protecting the Crown Jewels: IP and Other Legal Issues in E-Commerce," Healthcare Provider Seminar - Washington, DC (June 2001). Speaker: John I. Stewart, Jr.
  • "The Future of Copyright," Interactive Media Forum, Canadian Association of Broadcasters - Calgary, Alberta (November 2000). Speaker: John I. Stewart, Jr.
  • "New Challenges in the Information Age," Trade Secrets Law Seminar - Washington, DC (October 1998). Speaker: John I. Stewart, Jr.
  • "U.S. Copyright Issues," 6th International Broadcast News Workshop, World Broadcasting Unions - Toronto, Canada (May 28, 1998). Speaker: John I. Stewart, Jr.
  • "Cyberlaw: Has the Law Caught Up With Technology?," Internet Technologies and Applications Conference, NAB Multimedia World - Las Vegas, NV (April 5, 1998). Speaker: John I. Stewart, Jr.

Publications

  • "Country Q&A: United States Information Technology," Practical Law Company, Information Technology Handbook, 2nd Edition (2007-08). Co-Authors: Gaela Bailey, Benjamin T. Butler, Christopher Calsyn, Robin B. Campbell, Charles C. Hwang, Kris D. Meade and John I. Stewart, Jr.
  • "Country Q&A: United States Data Protection," Practical Law Company, Vol. 2: Data Protection (2006-07). Co-Authors: Gaela Bailey, David Z. Bodenheimer, Benjamin T. Butler, Christopher Calsyn, Robin B. Campbell, Charles C. Hwang, Kris D. Meade, Jeremy Rhyne and John Stewart.
  • "Copyright Protection for Data Compilations in a Digital Environment," The Inquisitive Mind (January 2002). Author: John I. Stewart, Jr.
  • New Tools And Strategies For Protecting Your Place In Cyberspace: Understanding The Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, (January 2000). Co-Authors: John I. Stewart Jr. and Michael D. Bednarek.
  • "Stay Behind the Infringement Line," IP Magazine (February 1999). Author: John I. Stewart, Jr.
  • "Copyright and Trademark Issues and Legal Issues for Online Services," NAB Legal Guide (April 1998 update). Author: John I. Stewart, Jr.
  • "Copyright Law Overview (A 'Fuzz Buster' for the Electronic Superhighway)" Broadcasters' Law and Regulation Conference Papers (1994). Author: John I. Stewart, Jr.

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August 19, 2021 The Best Lawyers in America 2022 Recognizes 53 Crowell & Moring Attorneys, One Selected as Lawyer of the Year
August 20, 2020 The Best Lawyers in America 2021 Recognizes 46 Crowell & Moring Attorneys, Two Selected as Lawyer of the Year
August 16, 2019 The Best Lawyers in America 2020 Recognizes 49 Crowell & Moring Attorneys, Three Selected as Lawyer of the Year
August 15, 2018 The Best Lawyers in America 2019 Recognizes 38 Crowell & Moring Attorneys
October 31, 2017 The Best Lawyers in America 2018 Recognizes 40 Crowell & Moring Lawyers
August 18, 2016 The Best Lawyers in America 2017 Recognizes 38 Crowell & Moring Attorneys
August 25, 2015 The Best Lawyers in America 2016 Recognizes 39 Crowell & Moring Attorneys
August 28, 2014 The Best Lawyers In America 2015 Recognizes 40 Crowell & Moring Attorneys
November 21, 2013 Crowell & Moring Ranks Among Financial Times' 2013 Most Innovative Firms
September 3, 2013 The Best Lawyers In America 2014 Recognizes 41 Crowell & Moring Attorneys
September 4, 2012 The Best Lawyers in America 2013 Recognizes 44 Crowell & Moring Attorneys
August 30, 2011 The Best Lawyers in America 2012 Recognizes 43 Crowell & Moring Attorneys
October 19, 2010 Crowell & Moring Launches TLD and Domain Name Practice
August 3, 2010 The Best Lawyers in America 2011 Recognizes 44 Crowell & Moring Attorneys
September 11, 2007 The Best Lawyers in America 2008 Recognizes 34 Crowell & Moring Attorneys