Michael D. Stovsky

Michael D. Stovsky

Partner, Intellectual Property and Technology Transactions, Data Security and Privacy, and AI

Overview

Mike is the former Chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Group and serves as a Partner in Benesch’s Intellectual Property, Technology Transactions, Data Security and Privacy, Artificial Intelligence, and Blockchain practices.

He has nearly three decades of experience representing technology companies from start-up to growth stage, middle market to Fortune 50, as well as major regional and national venture capital and private equity funds and their portfolio companies, and as lead outside counsel on technology transactions, intellectual property, privacy and data security, CIPP/US, GDPR DPO, and Metaverse law.

Mike provides advice and guidance with respect to the protection of trade secrets and other confidential business information, drafts and reviews confidentiality, non-competition, and non-circumvention agreements, and performs due diligence with respect to trade secret and confidentiality issues in the context of technology deals and M&A transactions.

He negotiates, closes and manages risks associated with complex, high-value, intellectual property and technology transactions and matters including:

  • All aspects of artificial intelligence and machine learning, including advising clients on compliance and regulatory issues pertaining to the internal use of generative and agentic AI models (both open source and enterprise), use of AI by technology vendors, intellectual property aspects of AI use, and the risks and implications of AI in mergers, acquisitions, systems implementation and integration transactions, and other significant enterprise deals;
  • Cross border data transmissions including compliance with the Department of Justice Rule on the Transmission of Bulk Sensitive Personal Data;
  • Systems implementation deals (including multi-site installed and cloud ERP, CRM, VOIP and ECM implementation transactions), strategic alliances, eCommerce, development, reseller, professional services, service level, telecomm, network services, equipment purchases, support & maintenance, and managed security services;
  • Technology M&A (including substantial IT, FinTech, and data-centric deal practice), joint ventures and technology collaborations, and representation of VCs, PE funds, family offices, and their portfolio companies in capital formations, acquisitions, and divestitures including sophisticated due diligence and analysis, rep and warranty insurance issues, and risk allocation and mitigation;
  • Metaverse, DeFi, and Web 3.0 law, blockchain platforms, distributed computing and ledgers, smart contracts, digital signatures, electronic contracts, crypto, NFTs, DApps, and DAOs;
  • Life sciences technology transactions and M&A including pharmaceutical, biotech, medical devices, and agribusiness, collaboration, and license deals for major health systems, health product distributors and vendors (including EMR, EHR, RCM, and VOIP implementations);
  • Inbound and outbound IP, IT and technology procurement, licenses, technology transfers, SaaS, IaaS, PaaS, BPaas, and TaaS deals, and IP acquisitions and divestitures, joint ventures, and open source issues;
  • Global business process outsourcing transactions;
  • Global data security and privacy compliance under US, Canadian, and EU law (EU GDPR and ePrivacy, CCPA/CPRA and other state law, HIPAA/HITECH, Gramm Leach Blilely, COPPA, FTC Act and Red Flag rule compliance), PCI-DSS, ISO 27001, ITIL, COBIT, and NIST standards, and data classification, breach response, records retention and destruction, and policies/procedures; and
  • IoT and Industrial IoT (IIoT), 3D printing, and additive manufacturing.

Featured endorsements

Experience

Credentials

Education

Northwestern University, 1986, B.A.
University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, 1991, J.D.

Bar & Court Admissions

Certified Information Privacy Professional/United States (CIPP/US)
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
Ohio
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio

More

  • Member, Jewish Federation of Cleveland
    • Technology Committee Member
    • Security Committee Member
    • Overseas Connection Committee Member
      • Chair, OCC STEM Education Subcommittee
    • Co-Chair, October 7 Commemoration Event (2025)
    • Co-Chair, Yom Ha’atzmaut Celebration Event (2020-2021)
  • Board Member, American Jewish Committee Cleveland
  • Member, Digital and Technology Advisory Committee, Cleveland Museum of Art
  • Member and Co-Chair, Legal Node – Legislation Subcommittee, Blockland Cleveland
  • Member, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
  • Member, American Bar Association
    • Member, Committee on Law and Commerce in Cyberspace, Business Law Section
    • Member, Science and Technology Law Section
  • Member, Leadership Cleveland (Class of 2010)
  • Former Board Member, Friendship Circle of Cleveland
  • Former Member, Anti-Defamation League National Commission
  • Former Member, Anti-Defamation League, Board of Trustees – Ohio Region
  • Former Board Member, Providence House
  • Former Board Member, Beachwood Schools Foundation
  • Former Member, Host Committee – 2019 Shout Out!, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
  • Former Board Member, IP Advisory Council, University of Akron Law School
  • Former Adjunct Professor, Case Western Reserve University Law School
  • Listed, Chambers USA Leading Lawyers, Intellectual Property, 2022-2026
  • Listed, Crain’s Cleveland Business “Notables in Law” (2022)
  • AV Rated, Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review
  • Listed, The Best Lawyers in America®: Information Technology (2007-2026), Technology Law (2023-2026), IT Outsourcing Law (2023-2026), Data Security and Privacy Law (2023-2026)
  • Listed, Ohio Super Lawyers (2006)
  • Listed, CrainTech’s “Who’s Who in Technology” (2002-2006)
  • Recipient, Crain’s Cleveland Business “40 Under Forty” Award (1999)