A company’s trademarks are arguably its most valuable assets, and the vigilant protection of those assets is critical to its success. Our attorneys take a strategic approach to the clearance, prosecution and enforcement of trademarks across all markets and media, both domestic and international.
Working at the intersection of advertising law and intellectual property law, we help organizations of all kinds to create, protect and defend their marks. Our long and well-known history of service to the advertising and marketing communities gives us a unique perspective on the use and monetization of trademarks, and our clients benefit from that perspective in their branding efforts.
Clearance and Prosecution
Our clients — many on marketing’s cutting edge — often bring us into branding projects at the ideation stage. Based on the results of our clearance searches, we guide them through each step in the trademark prosecution process, creating and implementing cost-effective strategies for how — and in which jurisdictions — their marks should be registered.
Global Portfolio Management
We manage trademark portfolios for companies of all sizes, from small start-ups with one or two marks to global giants with thousands. We make sure clients have appropriate, cost-effective coverage in the required jurisdictions, and we work closely with trusted law firms in other countries to help execute filings, prosecute and defend opposition and cancellation proceedings, and attend to other maintenance and enforcement matters across all international brands.
Licensing and Monetization
Our clients like to keep us involved throughout the life of a brand, and they seek our advice in extending its value through licensing arrangements, product placements, sponsorship agreements and co-branded collaborations. We regularly represent both licensors and licensees, and our knowledge of both sides of the table adds value in the negotiation and drafting of agreements and payment strategies.
Brand Protection Programs
Threats to a successful brand are many and varied, and our clients trust us to develop and manage tailored programs for effectively countering them. We routinely engage a wide range of service providers that track trademark filings, monitor the marketplace, comb the internet and scour social media platforms, alerting us to possible trademark infringements and other illicit brand usage. We then take the appropriate steps to remedy the situation, whether through cease-and-desist letters, online takedowns, administrative proceedings or courtroom litigation.
