Ballard Spahr Attorneys to Receive Arts Volunteer of the Year Award for Pro Bono Work

The Arts + Business Council for Greater Philadelphia has recognized Ballard Spahr intellectual property attorneys John A. Chionchio and Patrick M. Brady with the 2019 Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (PVLA) Award for outstanding pro bono service. They will receive the award at a dinner in Philadelphia on May 29.

The Arts + Business Council connects artists and arts organizations with PVLA attorneys for pro bono and low-cost legal assistance in areas such as copyright protection, contract drafting and negotiation, and representation in court. This year marks the first time the annual pro bono award will recognize patent work.

Mr. Chionchio and Mr. Brady represented aerospace engineer and inventor Kyle Snowberger on a patent application last year for a high-altitude air-launch orbital delivery vehicle. The invention earned Mr. Snowberger a $1,000 grant from the Penn State Mont Alto LaunchBox "LION Tank," a competition for entrepreneurs modeled after the popular "Shark Tank" TV show.

Mr. Chionchio and Mr. Brady are both licensed professional engineers and members of Ballard Spahr's Intellectual Property Department. Mr. Chionchio focuses his practice on intellectual property matters in the mechanical and design arts. Mr. Brady has more than two decades of mechanical engineering experience, having analyzed and designed projects for commercial and defense purposes. Ballard Spahr's intellectual property lawyers advise clients in key industries, including life sciences, medical, and health care, on developing, enforcing, protecting, and commercializing intellectual property, as well as handling transactions involving IP assets.