Stephen Gillen focuses his practice on copyright counseling, prosecution, transactions, and litigation, particularly in the publishing, entertainment, multimedia, software, and internet industries. He advises clients on matters involving licensing, rights clearance, and permissions, and regularly provides guidance to content creators, publishers, and businesses navigating complex intellectual property issues. Stephen is also an experienced educator, having taught media, business, and electronic media law for more than two decades at the university level.

Throughout his career, Stephen has published extensively on copyright and intellectual property topics, and he is frequently engaged as an expert witness in copyright litigation matters.

Education

Northern Kentucky University, Salmon P. Chase College of Law, J.D

Miami University, B.S.B.A., Finance

Distinctions

• The Best Lawyers in America®, Copyright Law, 2006–2025
• Best Lawyers® "Lawyer of the Year" for Copyright Law in Cincinnati (2024, 2021, 2017)
• Ohio Super Lawyers®, 2015–2024
• Cincy Leading Lawyers – Communications & Media
• Chambers USA, Ranked Band 2 in Intellectual Property – Ohio

Professional Activities

• Ohio State Bar Association
• Cincinnati Bar Association
• Cincinnati Intellectual Property Law Association
• Copyright Society of the U.S.A.
• Authors Guild

Additional Items

• Author, What Is a Copyright, 4e, American Bar Association IP Law Section (Jun 15, 2022)
• Contributor, The Risks of Writing, Copyright Clearance Center Podcast (2018)
• Author, Guide to Rights Clearance & Permissions in Scholarly, Educational, and Trade Publishing, Textbook and Academic Authors Association (2018)
• Contributor, What You Need to Know about the Purchase Order Form, Cincinnati Bar Association Report (Jan. 2018)
• Contributor, What You Need to Know about Your Client's Use of Music in Their Business, Cincinnati Bar Association Report (Nov. 2017)
• Contributor, There's Something New You Need to Know About Copyright Safe Harbor, Independent – trade monthly of the Independent Book Publishers Association (July 2017)
• Contributor, What You Need to Know about the Software Police, Cincinnati Bar Association Report (April 2017)
• Contributor, What You Need to Know About Fair Use, Independent (Dec. 2016)
• Contributor, What You Need to Know About Copyright Mandatory Deposit, Independent (Oct. 2016)
• Contributor, Getting the Royalty Treatment, Independent (Sept. 2016)
• Contributor, A Crash Course on Royalty Audits, Independent (May 2016)
• Author, Guide to Textbook Publishing Contracts, Textbook and Academic Authors Association (2016)
• Contributor, Who Do You Think You’re Dealing With?, Independent (March 2016)
• Contributor, The Attorney Author: Writing to Grow Your Practice, Cincinnati Bar Association Report (Jan. 2016)
• Author, Writing and Developing Your College Textbook, 3rd edition, Textbook and Academic Authors Association (2016)
• Contributor, A Checklist for Foreign Rights Deals – Part 2, Independent (Dec. 2015)
• Contributor, A Checklist for Foreign Rights Deals – Part 1, Independent (Nov. 2015)
• Author, The Devil made Me Do It: Lessons Learned in Negotiation of IP Agreements, Landslide, the journal of the IP Law Section of the American Bar Association (Jan. 2015)
• Contributor, Tools for Dealing with Piracy - Including a Brand New One, Independent (Nov. 2013)
• Contributor, Use Source Works Safely, Independent (Oct. 2013)
• Contributor, The Legal Side of Endorsements and Testimonials, Independent (Sept. 2013)
• Contributor, When Getting Rights Clearance Is Tough, Independent (July 2013)
• Contributor, e-Books & Evolving Law, Independent (June 2013)
• Contributor, Coping with a Cease and Desist Letter, Independent (April 2013)
• Contributor, What You Need to Know About Using Third-Party Photos, Independent (February 2013)
• Contributor, Contests, Sweepstakes, and Lotteries: What You Need to Know and Why You Need to Know It, Independent (Dec. 2012)
• Contributor, The Work-for-Hire Minefield, Independent (Oct. 2012)
• Contributor, What Publishers Need to Know About Pricing, Terms, and Antitrust, Independent (Sept. 2012)
• Contributor, Minimizing Libel Risks: Part 2 - Issues You Might Not Expect, Independent (Aug. 2012)
• Contributor, Minimizing Libel Risks: Part 1 - The Basics, Independent (July 2012)
• Contributor, Avoiding Litigation: The Truth About-and Alternatives to-Arbitration, Independent (June 2012)
• Contributor, Facebook Case Shines Light on Issue, Cincinnati Enquirer (Mar 9, 2012)
• Contributor, Best Practices for Permissions, Independent (March 2012)
• Contributor, Trademarking and Your Brand Strategy, Independent (Dec. 2011)
• Contributor, Reversion in the Digital Age: Is Out-of-Print Out of Style, Independent (Nov. 2011)
• Contributor, Acquiring the Right Rights: Will Your Contract Keep Up with the Markets for Your Books?, Independent (Sept. 2011)
• Contributor, Has Your Copyright Escaped Notice? Six Questions You Probably Never Thought to Ask, Independent (Aug. 2011)
• Contributor, Fair Use and Other Aspects of Coping with Copyright Law, Independent (June 2011)
• Contributor, Author Warranties: Options for Contract Clauses, Independent (April 2011)
• Contributor, Printers' Terms: What the Boilerplate Means and Where There's Wiggle Room, Independent (March 2011)
• Contributor, Add Power to Your Purchase Order Form: A New Year's Resolution Worth Keeping, Independent (Jan. 2011)
• Contributor, Pollyanna, Titles, and Trademarking, Independent (Dec. 2010)
• Contributor, Negotiating Styles: Zero-sum vs. Win/Win, Independent (Oct. 2010)
• Contributor, Contract Updates for the E-Book Era, Independent (Aug. 2010)
• Contributor, What’s the Big Idea?, The Licensing Journal (Jan. 2006)
• Contributor, Copyright Claims Not to Be Toyed With, The Licensing Journal (May 2005)
• Contributor, Has the Time Come for Solomon’s Solution, The Licensing Journal (Aug. 2004)
• Contributor, Is Celebrity Licensing Out of Action?, The Licensing Journal (Nov/Dec 2003)
• Contributor, Twelve Questions to a Better Deal, The Licensing Journal (May 2003)
• Contributor, Ninth Circuit Gives Thumbs Up To Thumbnails: Kelly vs. Arriba Soft, The Licensing Book (Nov 2002)
• Contributor, Book Contract Clinic: Quick Fixes for Bad Clauses, 2001 Writer’s Market, Writers Digest Books (2001)
• Contributor, The Bug List: Potential System Crashers in Software Contracts, e-Law insert to Cincinnati Business Courier (May 12, 2000)
• Contributor, Outsourcing Web Site Design: Who Owns the Rights?, e-Law insert to Cincinnati Business Courier (May 12, 2000)