Sisson & Banyas

What Sisson & Banyas does

Sisson & Banyas, Attorneys at Law, LLC is a boutique intellectual property law firm founded in 2010 by Edwin Sisson and headquartered in Medina, Ohio. The firm provides legal services for securing, protecting, and monetizing intellectual property assets, with core offerings spanning patent filing and prosecution, patent validity challenges and defense, trademark registration and enforcement, trade secret identification and protection, copyright registration, licensing negotiation, portfolio management, national phase PCT entries, IP audits, IP opinions and valuations, due diligence, and Economic Espionage Act advisory. Clients are primarily small and medium enterprises, individual inventors and entrepreneurs, and — most distinctively — automotive aftermarket manufacturers associated with the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA). The firm operates a flat-fee billing philosophy across all services, with a free initial consultation, distinguishing its pricing model from the typical hourly-billing IP practice.

The firm's go-to-market is sales-led and event-driven, combining direct attorney-client engagement with sustained participation at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas and international IP conferences (INTA, AIPPI, IIPLA). Although the firm operates from a single Medina office, it executes global work via a curated network of foreign associate counsel in Germany (Hoffmann Eitle), Italy (Jacobacci & Partners), Mexico (Calderon & De La Sierra), and USTR Priority Watch List jurisdictions including Ukraine, China, India, Russia, and Kuwait. Marquee enforcement outcomes — most notably a successful design patent enforcement in China for Oracle Lighting in 2020 — anchor its case-study credibility, alongside proprietary research indicating that approximately 1 in 4 SEMA Show exhibitors are subject to counterfeiting.

The team consists of approximately 6-8 professionals, led by founder and principal attorney Edwin Sisson (with 20+ years of business and inventor experience prior to legal practice), Jeffrey Banyas (Manager – Legal Production, 2018 SEMA 35 Under 35 honoree), and associate attorney Anthony Schievelbein, supported by an office manager, marketing specialist, and administrative staff with multilingual capabilities (English, Russian, Chinese). The firm is privately held with no institutional investment, no subsidiaries, and no M&A history; it was rebranded from Edwin A. Sisson, Attorney at Law, LLC to Sisson & Banyas in 2017 to reflect the partnership structure and has reported approximately 20% year-over-year growth.

Name

Sisson & Banyas

Legal name

Sisson & Banyas, Attorneys at Law, LLC

Website

https://sissoniplaw.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Boutique intellectual property law firm providing patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, licensing, and enforcement services on a flat-fee basis. Serves SMEs, inventors, and automotive aftermarket manufacturers through a curated international associate counsel network from its Medina, Ohio headquarters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Intellectual Property Law Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Patent Prosecution & Portfolio Management (BPAHAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

IP Due Diligence & Freedom-to-Operate (FTO) Analysis (BPAHAMAG)

Keywords

• Intellectual property law
• Patent prosecution services
• Trademark registration
• Trade secret protection
• IP licensing

Headquarters

HQ city

Medina

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Patent Services: Patent filing, prosecution, validity challenges, and defense services billed on flat-fee basis
2. Trademark Services: Trademark registration, protection, and enforcement services
3. Trade Secret Services: Trade secret identification, protection, and agreement facilitation
4. Copyright Services: Copyright registration and protection services
5. Licensing Services: IP licensing negotiation and management
6. Litigation Support: Litigation management and support for IP disputes
7. International IP Services: National phase entries, international enforcement, and foreign IP prosecution
8. Training Seminars: Educational seminars on IP protection topics

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sisson & Banyas is a boutique intellectual property law firm providing legal services for securing, protecting, and monetizing intellectual property assets. Core offerings include patent filing and prosecution, patent validity challenges and defense, trademark registration and enforcement, trade secret protection, copyright registration, IP licensing negotiation, portfolio management, and litigation support. The firm also provides specialized services such as IP audits, IP opinions, IP valuation, due diligence, and national phase PCT entries, all delivered under a flat-fee billing philosophy.

Product overview

Sisson & Banyas is a law firm providing comprehensive intellectual property legal services organized as a unified practice area. The core offerings include patent filing and prosecution, patent validity challenges and defense, trademark services, trade secret protection, copyright services, licensing, and portfolio management. The firm also provides specialized services including national phase entries, litigation support, IP audits, IP opinions, IP valuation, and due diligence. All services are delivered under a flat-fee billing philosophy to provide budget predictability. The firm serves clients globally with emphasis on the automotive aftermarket industry through SEMA partnership and international IP enforcement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Patent Filing and Prosecution

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully enforced design patent rights in China for Oracle Lighting, stopping knock-offs and winning significant monetary damages
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The McIntosh Law FirmcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 March 2018Supported firm seminars in Mooresville, North Carolina. The McIntosh Law Firm provided venue and support for two IP protection seminars presented by Sisson & Banyas attorneys.
• Vaudra InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 March 2018Tamara Rabenold of Vaudra International co-presented at IP protection seminar alongside Ed Sisson, providing counterfeiting prevention expertise.
• DSS (Document Security Systems)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 March 2018Donna Policz of DSS co-presented at IP protection seminar, providing expertise on anti-counterfeiting and document security.
• Hoffmann EitlecoreTechnology or Integration · 21 June 2017German IP firm led by Dr. Peter Klusmann that has worked closely with Ed Sisson on European patent oppositions and litigation for multiple years. Collaboration has resulted in multiple wins for firm's clients.
• Calderon & De La SierracoreTechnology or Integration · 22 May 2017Mexican law firm with 35-year history. Ed Sisson worked with firm to meet with Mexico's Minister of Patents on behalf of a client, successfully invalidating competitor's patent. Firm represents important relationship for Latin American IP matters.
• IP Firms in Ukraine, China, India, Russia, KuwaitcoreTechnology or Integration · 5 May 2017Network of IP firms in countries on USTR Priority Watch List (Ukraine, China, India, Russia, Kuwait) enabling firm to help clients expand into these challenging markets.
• Kooks Headers and ExhaustminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2017Automotive exhaust manufacturer that firm supports at international trade shows including Custom Show Emirates 2017 in Abu Dhabi.
• Jacobacci & PartnerscoreTechnology or Integration · 16 September 2016Italian law firm hosting AIPPI World Congress events. Firm's alignment with Jacobacci has been critical for customers on patent, trademark, and litigation fronts. Ed Sisson meets quarterly with Jacobacci representative to discuss client matters.
• Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerTrade association for automotive aftermarket. Firm is SEMA member, exhibits at annual SEMA Show, participates in Export Fair, and contributes to educational programming. Strong alignment with firm's target market.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Fish & Richardson: Established IP law firm with significant patent prosecution, trademark, licensing, and litigation capabilities. It offers overlapping services with a much larger national and international platform.
• Ladas & Parry: International intellectual property firm handling patents, trademarks, licensing, enforcement, and disputes. It is relevant to Sisson & Banyas's international prosecution and protection work, but operates at greater scale.
• Novagraaf: Global IP services group providing patent, trademark, design, and related legal and management services. It competes for internationally active clients and offers a much broader geographic footprint.
• Knobbe Martens: Large intellectual property law firm offering patent prosecution, IP transactions, portfolio management, and litigation. It serves overlapping technology clients but has a substantially broader bench and practice footprint.
• McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff: IP-focused law firm covering patent prosecution, trademark practice, licensing, opinions, and IP litigation. It is comparable in service scope but materially larger and more diversified than Sisson & Banyas.
• Sterne Kessler: Specialized intellectual property law firm providing patent, trademark, licensing, portfolio, and litigation services. Its larger technical bench competes for many of the same innovation-driven clients.

Direct peers

• Schmeiser, Olsen & Watts: IP-focused law firm advising on patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, licensing, and disputes. Its broad IP practice and technical clientele substantially overlap with Sisson & Banyas.
• Renner IP: Boutique intellectual property firm providing patent, trademark, licensing, and related IP legal services. Its technical and invention-focused practice closely matches Sisson & Banyas's client base and service mix.
• Hovey Williams: Intellectual property firm focused on patent procurement, trademark protection, and related counseling for innovators and businesses. It competes in the same technical IP legal-services category.
• Seed IP Law: Intellectual property law firm serving inventors, entrepreneurs, and technology businesses with patent and trademark services. It is a comparable boutique alternative for clients seeking IP protection and commercialization advice.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SissonIPLaw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/biomedinnovationsllc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sisson & Banyas