Firm Spotlight: Nick Gingo
Renner Otto Partner Nick Gingo has always had an interest in technology and innovation, but it was his passion for helping and advising others that took his legal career to the next level.
Tell us a little about your background.
I’ve always been interested in “how things work” and all things math and science, so I spent my undergrad at Ohio State University studying Materials Science and Engineering. However, after several years in the program, I found myself wanting more. I’d never really considered the legal profession, but my father was a lawyer and one of my good friends (now my wife) was working towards law school, so I took a shot at taking the LSAT and ended up doing really well. I was accepted to Chicago Kent Law School, which had a very reputable IP program. And law school ended up scratching an itch for writing that I didn’t know I had.
How did you end up at Renner Otto?
My wife and I knew we wanted to move back to Cleveland after graduation, but it was a chance meeting with (Partner Emeritus) Warren Sklar that brought me in the door at Renner Otto. Although the firm wasn’t hiring at the time, I sent in my resume. Warren recognized my last name because he’d gone to college with a relative of mine and so agreed to a phone interview. After we spoke, Warren passed my information on to the litigation group and they were impressed with my writing. When I officially joined the firm in 2008, I wasn’t sure what kind of IP I wanted to focus on, but litigation was a good place to start building my experience in persuasive writing and research.
What would you consider to be your specialty?
At this point in my career, I would say “brand protection” – a combination of mostly trademark law, with some copyright and design patent law mixed in – is the focus of my practice. Although many of the attorneys at the firm have experience in trademark law, I chose to dedicate the majority of my practice to this area after several years in the litigation group. I find it to be both adversarial and interesting, and it allows me to work with a variety of different types of clients. I also believe that have a dedicated trademark practice makes Renner Otto more competitive. We are a boutique firm, so we are small by intention. But by having attorneys that are highly specialized, it really increases our range of expertise and service offerings to our clients.
What do you enjoy most about working at Renner Otto?
Unlike most law firms, Renner Otto really emphasizes collaboration over competition, and I think our decades-long relationships with our clients are a testament to that work culture. Continuously improving our own skills while helping or advising each other makes us more effective and successful with our clients.
What I enjoy most, and what I think sets us apart from other law firms, is that each attorney has the freedom to be creative in how we engage and help our clients. Where most big law firms are focused on rigid structure and billable time, Renner Otto puts the clients first. We really prioritize authentic advisement and helping our clients figure out what best works for them - and I think that goes a long way towards building trust. If we don’t think a certain path makes sense for you, we will tell you - and then help you find the right one.
What about life outside of work?
Life outside of work is busy! My wife and I have twin daughters who are now 7 and who keep us on the go! I enjoy coaching my girls’ sports teams and taking them camping and fishing. We like to go to the beach as a family and we’re hoping to get to Europe soon as well.
When I do have time to myself, I’m a “man of many hobbies.” At the end of the day, I really enjoy learning new things, which means that I often jump from one passion to the next. Whether it’s finding new music to listen to, perfecting smoked ribs, or figuring out the best type of tomatoes to grow in my garden, there’s always another project around the corner. And now my girls are my sidekicks, which makes it even more fun.
Have questions for Nick? Contact him directly to learn more.