Highly regarded by clients and peers alike, Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP is active in all areas of trademark law, with a standout record in trademark clearance and portfolio management;  infringement litigation and enforcement; and licensing deals and IP-driven corporate transactions. Clients are often operating in industries such as biotech and pharmaceuticals, consumer products, software, and sports. Practice leader Danny Awdeh in Washington DC is a key contact in the group, and is also a leading figure in the market. He is experienced in complex litigation, high-value transactions and strategic counseling. Douglas Rettew is recommended for right-of-publicity matters and trademark prosecution and licensing; Mark Sommers focuses on brand protection, unfair competition, and cybersquatting; and Naresh Kilaru has expertise in domestic and international trademark prosecution, as well as in other issues relating to global brand protection. Also recommended is Boston-based counsel Laura Johnson.

Fross Zelnick Lehrman & Zissu, P.C. handles all things trademarks for some of the world's most valuable brands and for holders of the best-known marks. It acts for clients operating in the areas of pharmaceuticals, fashion, cosmetics and entertainment sectors, and also has experience advising on brand expansion for start-ups. A key figure in the team is Barbara Solomon, who focuses on designing strategies to avoid trademark litigation, but is also an experienced IP litigation lawyer. Contacts for international trademark management include Nadine Jacobson and Lydia Goben, who have experience of the retail, apparel, luxury, and finance sectors. Leo Kittay is a contact for growth-companies, and Allison Strickland Ricketts is also recommended for trademark registration, enforcement, protection, and clearance. Lawyers work across the firm's New York and Washington DC offices.

The New York-based trademark prosecution team at Cowan, Liebowitz & Latman, PC provides solid nationwide coverage and has also built relationships with domestic counsel in other jurisdictions to provide comprehensive advice on international trademark prosecution. Advising on a full range of trademark and domain name matters, practice leader and 'top-notch trademark lawyer' Deborah Squiers is recommended for enforcement, counseling, and prosecution, both in the US and internationally. She works alongside counsel Lynn Fruchter, who focuses on trademark licensing in the entertainment, financial services, and cosmetic sectors. Joel Karni Schmidt is singled out as an 'outstanding strategist', and a key resource for clients in the hospitality sector; Mary Kevlin manages the trademark portfolios of major brands such as Major League Baseball; Kieran Doyle litigates for clients in the publishing, medical marijuana, and fashion industries; and William Borchard has experience of trademark clearance, registration, and infringement claims. Also recommended in this space are Meichelle MacGregor and Mary Donovan.

The IP team at Dechert LLP is an attractive choice for multinationals seeking advice on trademark prosecution, enforcement, and licensing. In addition to its strong US coverage, the firm is also able to bring in experts from across its European office network, to advise on all aspects of US and European trademark law. Glenn Gundersen leads the practice in Philadelphia and is recognized here for his expertise in trademark clearance, enforcement and commercial deals and IP-driven corporate transactions. New York-based associate Jennifer Insley-Pruitt assists Gundersen with portfolio management, and is also developing a strong practice in enforcement and litigation in federal court and before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.

DLA Piper LLP (US) provides global IP coverage on high-profile and complex trademark cases, with an additional focus on trademark portfolio management and experience advocating for and drafting IP legislation. Co-chair of the IP and technology practice Ann Ford splits her time between New York and Washington DC, and is highly regarded by clients for her work on trademark transactions, trademark litigation and pre-litigation cases. In San Francisco, Gina Durham chairs the US trademark and copyright team and is a well-regarded trademark litigator for high-profile blue-chip companies; while Frank Ryan in New York co-chairs the IP and tech practice and focuses on litigation, and other IP matters in the sports, media and entertainment sectors.

Haynes and Boone, L.L.P. fields a team of experienced trademark lawyers across the country, though its strongest presence is in Dallas. Acting for clients in the advertising, telecoms, financial services and music industries, the team handles the full range of IP matters, including domain name disputes, oppositions and enforcement. Contacts in the Dallas office include trademark group chair David Bell, a name to note for international brand management; Purvi Patel Alber, who advises Fortune 500 companies on US and foreign trademark enforcement; and Jeffrey Becker, who is also noted for brand management as well as for advertising issues. 2020 saw the introduction of a number of new team members: in May, Erin Hennessy joined from Bracewell LLP; in August, partner Joseph Matal joined from the USPTO; and in November, Theresa Conduah joined the firm from an in-house role.

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP provides comprehensive advice and counsel on the full range of trademark matters, including clearance, evaluation, licensing, enforcement, and portfolio management. The IP team works in conjunction with other of the firm’s practice groups, playing a key role in matters ranging from M&A to data security. John Gary Maynard co-heads the IP practice from Washington DC, and leads on brand protection and licensing. Also recommended in DC are Michael Oakes and Tyler Maddry. In New York, IP practice co-leader James Rosini leads on a range of IP matters for clients in sectors such as advertising, entertainment, and publishing. The team saw several departures in 2020: in February, Michael Lennon left for Potomac Law Group and Laurence Posorske joined Arent Fox LLP; and in April, Michael Turner took an in-house role, and Clifford Ulrich departed for Carter, DeLuca & Farrell LLP.

The IP practice at K&L Gates handles global trademark registration and enforcement for clients in the manufacturing, aerospace, consumer products, and entertainment industries. The firm-wide portfolio management and IP procurement practice is headed up by Pam Jacobson, a patent attorney in the firm's Seattle office. The group welcomed a number of new hires in 2020: Chicago-based James Shimota joined from Haynes and Boone, L.L.P. in March 2020; and, in August, Thomas Anderton joined from Squire Patton Boggs, Mincheol Kim joined in Orange County from Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP, and Patrick Richards (also in Chicago) joined from private practice.

The team at King & Spalding LLP is well known for advising major domestic and multinational corporates clients on IP disputes, but is recognized here for its expertise in portfolio management, trademark registration, and enforcement. Clients are often in industries such as consumer products, food and beverage, and retail. Contacts in the San Fransisco office include Kenneth Steinthal, who leads the practice group and is recommended for trademark disputes; and Richard Groos, a name to note for trademark portfolio counseling. On the East Coast, Kathleen McCarthy in New York has a strong track record in trademark infringement cases. Also of note, in May 2020, the group welcomed an entire team from Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, including partners Craig Bessenger, Julia Bredrup, Jeanne Fugate, and Albert Giang.

The IP team at Loeb & Loeb LLP is fully integrated into broader teams with expertise in regulation, privacy, security and advertising law, enable the group to provide IP-driven advice from several different angles. In particular, the group is noted for its advice on trademark availability and scope of protection for start-ups, entertainment personalities and consumer brands. It is also highly experienced in both US and international registration and due diligence for IP-related acquisitions. Los Angeles-based IP protection chair Melanie Howard has broad expertise in portfolio management, including acquisitions and enforcement. Chicago office managing partner Douglas Masters is an expert in trademark clearance and registration, as well as general brand protection strategies.

McDermott Will & Emery LLP is 'extremely knowledgable' about all matters relating to brand management, including trademark enforcement and licensing. The group has stood out in particular in IP-driven transactional work for high-profile brands in the areas of healthcare, life sciences, fintech, and other technology-focused sectors. Chicago-based Christina Martini heads up the global trademark group and has broad expertise in trademark and domain name issues as well as in Internet and entertainment law. William Gaede in Silicon Valley is a contact for trademark litigation in the life sciences and healthcare sectors. In April 2020, John Dabney, Mary Hallerman, and Richard Kim departed for Snell & Wilmer LLP.

With offices on both the East and West coasts, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP is well placed to advise on the full range of IP matters, including transactions, trademark portfolio management, counseling and litigation. Clients are often international high-profile corporations leading in the consumer products, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, fashion, retail, and healthcare industries. Karen Butcher in Washington DC leads the trademark and copyright practice, advising multinationals on IP matters related to M&A, licensing, and corporate reorgnizations. She works alongside Anita Polott, an expert in managing US and international trademark portfolios, as well as trademark litigator Kevin Fee. In Boston, Josh Dalton focuses on trademark litigation, while Rachelle Dubow is an expert in counseling, licensing, and protection of trademarks. Several lawyers joined the team from Cooley LLP in July 2020.

Baker & Hostetler LLP operates in numerous offices across the US, advising a diverse set of clients in the areas of fashion and retail, music media and technology on all IP-related matters. The team frequently prosecutes active filings for multinationals operating in different jurisdictions and provides additional niche counseling for media companies on complex matters such as cartoon character IP rights. In Washington DC, IP group chair Deborah Wilcox focuses on registering, monetizing, and enforcing trademarks for mobile apps and social media sites, and has experience enforcing trademark rights against domain name squatters. Cleveland-based trademark team lead Mark Tidman assists clients with trademark portfolio management, enforcement and trade dress matters.

Cooley LLP runs a sizeable trademark team with a long history of maintaining valuable international trademark portfolios, advising on general trademark prosecution, protection, and enforcement for a variety of corporate clients. In New York, Jeff Greene focuses on foreign and domestic brand counseling, and also regularly advising clients on trademark acquisitions, while Bobby Ghajar in Santa Monica advises a number of major brands, including food and drinks companies, on trademark portfolio management and enforcement. Also in Santa Monica, John Crittenden is recommended for trademark counseling and prosecution. Nick Bolter joined Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP in June 2020, and Charlie Winckworth left to establish a solo practice in July 2020.

The 'top-notch' trademark counseling and protection team at Fenwick & West LLP provides a full range of trademark advice to multinational corporations and household names in the areas of entertainment, data analytics, advertising, and digital and mobile gaming. Headed by Connie Ellerbach in Mountain View, the team frequently advises on trademark registration and enforcement, and domain name issues, as well as international trademark registration and transactional due diligence. Also recommended in Mountain View are Sally Abel, who specializes in international trademark management, and Karen Webb, a name to note for social media trademark law. In recent years its client list has expanded to include notable Silicon Valley companies operating in software, blockchain, and cryptocurrency.

The trademark and brand management team at Greenberg Traurig, LLP is experienced in trademark prosecution, licensing, policing, and portfolio management. It also fields a deep bench of attorneys with experience in trademark litigation. In the Orange County office, Susan Heller serves as chair of the global trademark and brand management group, and provides comprehensive trademark support to notable celebrities and companies. Chicago-based Mark Galis co-chairs the global IP and technology practice, and focuses on patent and trademark portfolio management; and practice vice chair Joel Feldman in Atlanta is recommended for domestic and international brand management and IP disputes.

Jones Day provides comprehensive advice on contentious and non-contentious trademark matters, including trademark prosecution, clearance, portfolio management, enforcement, and litigation. Additionally, the team acts as counsel on major IP transactions and frequently works alongside colleagues in the firm's European and Asian offices to handle global trademark enforcement. Clients are often operating in sectors such as the automotive, luxury brands, pharmaceuticals, software, food and drink, and education industries. Contacts in the team include Cleveland-based practice leader Meredith Wilkes, who is noted in particular for trademark litigation, and Carrie Kiedrowski, who works on brand protection, portfolio management, and trademark enforcement. In Washington DC, Jessica Bradley focuses on Lanham Act litigation in trademarks and false advertising.

Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP is noted in particular for its expertise in trademark enforcement, where it advises start-ups and Fortune 500 companies in industries such as technology, media and entertainment, and publishing. A key figure in the Orange County-based team is managing partner Steven Nataupsky, an experience litigator, who is recommended for enforcing and defending infringement claims. Also recommended are Susan Natland, who focuses on trademark enforcement, clearance, and prosecution; and Jeff Van Hoosear, who has experience of international and domestic trademark prosecution.

Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP is active in all areas of IP law, and is recognized here for representing clients in trademark registration, acquisitions, management, and enforcement matters. The team is also experienced in trademark mediation and arbitration, as well as matters before the US Patent and Trademark Office. Contacts in the Austin office include US head of IP brands Alicia Morris Groos, a highly experienced litigator, who manages domestic and international IP portfolios; and US head of IP James Repass, who focuses on joint ventures and licensing arrangements. Global head of IP Timothy Kenny is based in Minneapolis and advises on strategic portfolio counseling and management. In May 2020, Michael Metteauer departed for Pirkey Barber.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP is noted for its bicostal domestic platform and its strong relationships with IP attorneys in Europe and Asia, enabling the IP team to manage global IP portfolios, file trademarks, and advise on trademark clearance and licensing worldwide. Its clients are generally in the alternative energy, consumer products, biotechnology, food and beverages, and pharmaceuticals sectors. Contacts on the East Coast include Peter Vogl in New York, who primarily works in trademark prosecution in the life sciences and technology sectors, and Washington DC-based Sten Jensen, who serves as co-chair of the firm's wider IP practice and is also experienced with IP in the technology sector. In the San Fransisco office, Beth Goldman is recommended for transactions and related trademark matters, and Betsy Wang Lee was promoted to partner in February 2020.