Trademark

Many of our clients rely on us to manage their trademark portfolios , which includes overseeing continued maintenance of trademark registrations in the US and in foreign jurisdictions and working closely with a network of foreign associate trademark counsel around the world, as well as policing and enforcement of trademark rights against infringers and conflicting marks. We work closely with clients to develop trademark protection strategies that are budget appropriate and efficient, and we help our clients create an overall brand protection strategy that includes trademark protection alongside careful consideration of trade dress, design, copyright protection, and trade secret protection issues.

Our experience extends to many different areas of the trademark practice, including:

• Prosecution and maintenance of certification marks in the US and in foreign jurisdictions where they are recognized, and securing alternative forms of protection in those jurisdictions that don’t recognize certification marks.
• Securing trademarks across the EU using the Madrid Protocol.
• Prosecuting new marks and enforcing trademark rights in China.
• Working with associated counsel to secure trademark rights in multiple jurisdictions in South America.
• Appealing trademark examining attorney decisions to the Trademark Trials and Appeals Board and in the federal trial courts and courts of appeal.
• Prosecuting and defending trademark infringement actions in the federal courts.

Trade Secret

Trade secrets are an increasingly important form of intellectual property that covers all types of valuable corporate and business secrets that don’t necessarily fall into the traditional categories of patent, copyright, and trademark. Lucrative secrets such as customer and client lists, product and marketing strategies, pricing schemes, business plans, software development roadmaps, and even recipes, fashion designs, and fictional storyboards can all be legally protected from public disclosure by employees or competitors, with the appropriate precautions.

Our attorneys have extensive experience counseling clients on best practices for safeguarding their most valuable internal secrets, from preparing non-disclosure agreements to drafting detailed “clean room” procedures. And when secrets do get out (or when our clients are accused of exposing them), our litigators have been consistently successful in prosecuting or defending against those claims in court or at arbitration.

Copyright

We have represented clients in copyright infringement suits and advised clients on copyright protection and infringement claims for years. This includes working with startups to ensure property protection and preservation of all ownership rights in copyright-protected software and other key intangible assets, as well as representing mature companies in copyright infringement defense and in enforcing their rights in original works.

Recent clients have included consumer packaged goods businesses that have sought our advice and assistance in stopping infringing and grey-market goods. We have represented artists, designers, authors, playwrights, musicians, and media companies in the defense of infringement claims as well as in structuring important agreements to preserve their ownership and royalty rights.

Patent

In our work with startups, we frequently advise clients on overall intellectual property protection strategies. This includes advice on the patent process, helping select the appropriate patent attorney for new patent prosecution work, and evaluating the strategic benefits of a patent strategy. We collaborate with a wide network of patent specialists, who are called on for key prosecution work while we help our entrepreneur and innovator clients develop their overall IP strategy.