With a strong national presence and offices in Europe and Asia, the powerhouse practice at dedicated intellectual property firm Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP remains a market leader, leveraging global bench strength and the experience of its team, to advise household names such as Unilever, Caterpillar and Nestlé on the management, licensing, and enforcement of their international trademark portfolios. The group is headed by trademark, copyright and advertising head Danny Awdeh, an expert in global brand launches, high-value transactions, and strategic counselling, managing partner Erika Harmon Arner and firm chair Anand Sharma. The group is supported by veteran litigators Mark Sommers and Douglas Rettew, a specialist in the sports sector, B. Brett Heavner, whose client base spans the pharma, food, medical devices, and financial services sectors, and Naresh Kilaru, who brings extensive experience in trademark prosecution at the domestic and international levels and as the in-house counsel to the Turner Broadcasting System. At the Boston office, of counsel Laura Johnson assists clients in telecoms, electronics, and the automotive industry. In January 2023, Lisa London, who previously worked at the firm for 13 years, returned as counsel. All the lawyers mentioned work in the Washington DC office.

The team at boutique New York firm Cowan, Liebowitz & Latman, PC brings strength to the registration, management, and enforcement of the international portfolios of household names multinationals such as Major League Baseball, J. Crew, and Sony Pictures Entertainment, across sectors ranging from sports, education, and entertainment to publishing, automotive, and financial services. The team is headed by Deborah Squiers, who applies longstanding experience to advising portfolio maintenance and complex overseas oppositions and cancellation proceedings. The practice is supported by trademark authority William Borchard and Joel Karni Schmidt, who specializes in assisting hotels and restaurants, video game and gaming technology companies, and counseling clients on the NFT space. Other key figures include Robert English, who represents clients in intellectual property-related transactional matters, including licensing and joint development agreements; Kieran Doyle, who manages matters in the footwear, food and medical marijuana spaces; sports and entertainment filing strategist Jeffrey Chery; and Joelle A. Milov, a specialist in domain name disputes who was appointed to partner in January 2023.

DLA Piper LLP (US) harnesses the bench strength of a global network spanning the Americas, and the EMEA and Asia Pacific regions, to advise on the management, prosecution and enforcement of the international portfolios of household names such as Dannon, Dr. Seuss, and Papa John’s, across sectors ranging from food, hospitality, and e-commerce to retail, tech and fitness. The team is headed by tech sector expert Sean Cunningham in San Diego, Gina Durham in San Francisco applies expertise to prosecution, clearance, and brand management matters. IP authority Ann Ford in Washington DC specializes in the restructuring of intellectual property assets for tax planning and developing joint venture arrangements to support co-branding efforts. In Chicago, Keith Medansky brings deep experience to the practice area. Other key figures include seasoned portfolio manager Thomas Zutic in DC, and Michael Geller in Chicago, who was promoted in April 2022 and handles Web3 filings. Kevin Fee in DC joined the firm from Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP in May 2022.

The experienced team at New York-based intellectual property boutique firm Fross Zelnick Lehrman & Zissu, P.C. brings strength to advising major global corporates including Colgate-Palmolive, Lego, Johnson & Johnson, and Warner Entertainment Group, across such sectors as entertainment, pharmaceuticals, fashion, professional services, cosmetics and sports, on the management and enforcement of their international trademark portfolios. Trademark authority Nadine Jacobson provides expertise in advising on the building of global brand strategies. Tamar Niv Bessinger handles complex trademark registrations. Other key figures include prosecution specialist Allison Strickland Ricketts; Karen Lim, who specializes in the management of trademark portfolios over the entire course of their life cycle; global brand clearance expert Lydia Gobena, who assists with the protection of nontraditional trademarks, including single colors and sounds; and Lawrence Apolzon, Amanda Agati, and Ashford Tucker, who advise major celebrities, as well as their representatives and estates, on their personality name portfolios. All lawyers mentioned work in New York.

Haynes and Boone, L.L.P. harnesses the bench strength of a footprint spanning the Americas, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region, to advise on the enforcement and management of major global portfolios across a diverse spectrum of industries, including those of the Dallas Cowboys, Starz Entertainment, and AT&T. The team is led by David Bell in Dallas, who applies experience to Trademark Trial and Appeal Board proceedings, specializes in clients in telecoms, music, apparel, and consumer products. Also in Dallas, Jeffrey Becker employs longstanding expertise in brand management, Purvi Patel Albers brings expertise to social media counseling and internet enforcement, including oppositions, cancellations and Uniform Dispute Resolution Proceedings, Rob LeBlanc handles complex product launches, and Tiffany Ferris manages risks associated with advertising claims and the availability of potential trademarks. In New York, Erin Hennessy advises clients in the publishing, tech, retail, fashion, and financial services sectors, where associate Annie Allison utilizes a background as a former TV news producer and reporter, to counsel media and entertainment clients. Joseph Lawlor in New York and Mike McArthur in Dallas were both promoted to partner in January 2023.

Loeb & Loeb LLP leverages the deep bench strength of locations in the US and Asia, to safeguard and manage the trademarks of such major entertainers as Tenacious D, Carrie Underwood, Christina Aguilera, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, in addition to household name multinationals including Universal, Netflix, BET, Lionsgate, and Paramount Pictures. The team is headed in Los Angeles by intangible asset acquisition and protection expert Melanie Howard, who specializes in the fashion, luxury, and retail sectors. In Chicago, Douglas Masters counsels brand owners, sports leagues, athletes, and advertisers, on brand strategy. David Grace in Los Angeles has a strong record in assisting start-ups, celebrities, and established corporates. Other key figures include seasoned litigator David Grossman and internet commerce and right of publicity advisor Jorge Arciniega in Los Angeles, Sara Crisafulli, who handles oppositions and cancellations in New York, and Tiffany Dunn, who represents recording artists and songwriters, and Bess Morgan, who manages sponsorship and influencer agreements in Nashville.

McDermott Will & Emery LLP employs the full bench strength of office locations across North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region, providing expertise in counselling and enforcement, to household names such as Hitachi and the New York Life Insurance Company, across such sectors as food and beverages, fintech, professional services, transportation, insurance, consumer electronics, pharmaceuticals, and apparel. The team is headed by trademark prosecution authority Christina Martini in Chicago and life sciences and medical industry expert William Gaede in Silicon Valley. In Washington DC, Robert Zelnick counsels clients on brand building and trademark licensing. Other key figures include international brand strategist Jennifer Mikulina in Chicago, domain name specialist Sarah Bro at the Orange County office, and associate Eleanor Atkins at the DC office.

Back by a global reach spanning the US, EMEA, and Asia Pacific regions, the team at Texas-based firm Baker Botts L.L.P. maintains and safeguards the international copyright portfolios of household name corporates across such sectors as food and beverages, professional services, media, consumer products, financial services, apparel, and tech. The practice is led in Dallas by Paul Reilly, who brings experience to the clearance of trademarks, and the rebranding of companies domestically and internationally. The group is supported by Suzanne Hengl, who, in addition to assisting with licensing and influencer agreements, provides expertise in opposition and cancellation proceedings before the TTAB and in other jurisdictions, and senior associate Julie Albert in New York, who specializes in domain name disputes, social media, advertising, and international enforcement matters.

BakerHostetler draws on its national presence to advise household name corporates such as Johnson & Johnson, Big Lots Stores, and the J.M. Smucker Company on the management, clearance, and enforcement of their international trademark portfolios. The practice’s full service also extends to the registration and acquisition of domain names worldwide. Headed by experienced intellectual property expert Deborah Wilcox in Cleveland, the group’s client portfolio spans the education, retail, pharma, consumer products, energy, aerospace, and luxury goods sectors. At the Chicago office, seasoned litigator John Letchinger acts for manufacturers and national retailers. Other key figures include Kevin Bovard in Philadelphia, a specialist in portfolio clearance and management, and Christina Moser in Cleveland, who counsels clients on product development on a global level.

The team at Crowell & Moring LLP brings strength to advising major clients across the retail, education, food, and oil and gas sectors on the development and protection of their international trademark portfolios. The practice is led in Chicago by Andrew Avsec and Howard Michael, who bring experience to acting for start-ups and established brands in Trademark Trial and Appeal Board oppositions and cancellation actions. Virginia Wolk Marino applies expertise to global trademark filing, prosecution, and enforcement strategies. Other key figures include seasoned trademark litigator Jeffery Handelman, Preetha Chakrabarti in New York, who specializes in fashion, NFTs, and the metaverse, and counsel Emily Kappers, who manages complex trademark protection matters in China and the European Union. Unless indicated, all lawyers mentioned work in the Chicago office.

Greenberg Traurig LLP utilizes the strength of a global network which spans the Americas, Asia Pacific, and EMEA regions, to counsel household name clients such as Jennifer Lopez, Victoria’s Secret, and USPS, on the maintenance of their global trademark portfolios. The team is headed in Los Angeles and Orange County by global brand expert Susan Heller, who advises celebrities and pre-IPO companies; Joel Feldman in Atlanta, who assists clients involved in the settling of controversies between clients and third parties; Candace Kim in Los Angeles, who brings strength to TTAB opposition and cancellation proceedings, and Mark Galis in Chicago, who manages the portfolios of mid-market clients and start-ups. The group is supported by Stephen Baird in Minneapolis, a specialist in the protection of nontraditional trademarks, including single color marks, Jeffrey Dunning in Chicago, who advises on matters in the retail, industrial and food and beverage sectors, and Sabina Vayner in Atlanta, who employs secondment experience in the telecoms space. In Salt Lake City, Tiffany Shimada joined from Dorsey & Whitney LLP in March 2022.

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP provides a comprehensive cross-border service, advising major corporates such as Peanuts Worldwide and Mattel, on the clearance, registration, and enforcement of their international trademark portfolios. Brand protection expert John Gary Maynard, who operates out of offices in Richmond and Washington DC, co-leads the team with DC-based Tyler Maddry, a tech sector specialist. Stephen Demm, also in Richmond, handles trademark maintenance for clients in the energy industry. In New York, Jonathan Reichman applies deep experience to entertainment industry matters, and Jeremy S. Boczko, who assists clients with trademarks rights acquisition. Armin Ghiam in New York was promoted to partner in March 2022. James Rosini retired in March 2022, and Daniel Vivarelli  departed in May 2022.

The team at Jones Day brings expertise to advising household names such as Wikimedia and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum on the management, clearance, and enforcement of their international trademark portfolios. Led by Carrie Kiedrowski in Cleveland, an experienced brand protection strategist, who was promoted to global co-head in 2022, the team’s client base spans the life sciences, oil & gas, sports, telecoms, manufacturing, consumer products, and museum services sectors. Angela Gott applies experience in opposition and cancellation proceedings before the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board to the Cleveland office, where intellectual property expert Meredith Wilkes brings lengthy experience in the practice area. In Houston, Anna E. Raimer manages trademark issues in licensing agreements and corporate transactions. Associate Megan McKeown specializes in video game industry matters.

K&L Gates brings strength to advising household names brands such as TripAdvisor and Abercrombie & Fitch, on the clearance, prosecution, maintenance, policing, enforcement, and licensing of their global trademark portfolios. The team is led in Chicago by veteran portfolio manager Robert Barrett, who applies experience to advising clients in sectors ranging from biotech, chemical and software, to e-commerce, health care and manufacturing. In Boston, David Byer provides expertise in appearances before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Susan Kayser in Washington DC handles complex global brand launchers. Other key figures include practice area expert Pam Jacobson in Seattle, Stewart Mesher in Austin, who utilizes in-house experience, and Sana Hakim, who guides clients through social media and Web-related issues, and filing strategist Kathryn Starshak in Chicago. Eric Lee in Boston was promoted to partner in January 2023.

The globally-connected team at Kirkland & Ellis LLP advises household names such as PepsiCo, on the enforcement and management of their international trademark portfolios. Headed by intellectual property authority Dale Cendali, the group’s active client base spans the sporting goods, cosmetics, cybersecurity, video games, fitness, pharma, tech, and apparel sectors. Key figures include Claudia Ray, a specialist in brand-building and protection strategy; Johanna Schmitt, who assists with complex internet issues; Mary Mazzello, who brings expertise to matters ranging from trademarks clearance to new product launches; Shanti Sadtler Conway, who provides experience related to social media, licensing, and contract issues. All the lawyers mentioned work at the New York office.

Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP utilizes its national presence to advise household name corporates such as Monster Energy, Fox, Toshiba, and Amazon, on the maintenance and enforcement of their international trademark portfolios. Headed by brand protection expert Susan Natland and Jeff Van Hoosear, who brings extensive experience appearing in proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, the team’s client base spans sectors ranging from e-commerce, entertainment, fashion, and hospitality to life sciences, food and beverages, aviation and consumer products. The group is supported by intellectual proprety authority and managing partner Steven Nataupsky and in Los Angeles by Jessica Sganga, who counsels clients on electronic commerce matters, including data privacy and data security compliance. Jacob Rosenbaum was appointed to partner in January 2023. All lawyers work in the Irvine office unless noted.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP leverages the bench strength of a global network spanning the Americas, EMEA, and Asia Pacific regions, to advise household names such as Uber, Office Depot, and the New York Times, on the protection and management of their international portfolios. Headed by brand protection expert Anita Polott in Washington DC, and Josh Dalton in Boston, who brings expertise to Trademark Trial and Appeal Board proceedings, the firm’s portfolio spans the sectors ranging from retail, tech, food and beverages, media, sports, and entertainment to e-commerce, software, apparel and hospitality. Rachelle Dubow in Boston specializes in the the licensing of trademark rights and licensed products and services. Other key figures include Carla Oakley a seasoned trademark development and registration strategist, and Gene Park, who drafted and negotiates transactional, e-commerce, and software agreements in San Francisco, and Kristin Altoff, in Washington DC, who was promoted to partner in October 2022 and who manages global title update work. Former co-department head Kevin Fee departed in May 2022.

Norton Rose Fulbright manages and safeguards the portfolios of such major multinationals as Electronic Arts, across the food and beverages, video games, banking, tech, education, automotive sectors. The group is led in Houston by veteran global protection strategist Jim Repass and in Minneapolis by newly-promoted co-heads Felicia Boyd, a specialist in assisting clients the music, financial service, medical devices industries, and opposition and cancellation expert Timothy M Kenny, both appointed to the role in July 2022. The team is supported in Dallas by Linda M Merritt, who counsels clients on trademark strength and availability, senior associate Andrea Shannon in Houston, who manages transactional matters, and senior associate Stephanie Schmidt in Austin.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP marshals the experience of its team to advise such household names as Airbnb, Visa, and Vera Wang, on the enforcement and management of their global trademark portfolios. The team is led in San Francisco by veteran intellectual property litigators Clement Seth Roberts and tech sector expert Alyssa Caridis in Los Angeles. At the San Francisco office, Beth Goldman, who assists clients across the renewables, biotech, clothing, consumer products, and food and beverages industries, and Betsy Wang Lee, who handles matters in retail, financial services, and pharmaceuticals, bring expertise in global portfolio prosecution and international licensing. In Portland, Oregon, of counsel Kristin Cornuelle provides extensive experience in appearing in proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the TTAB.