Leveraging its vast experience before a diverse array of courts across the country including the Unified Patent and Trademark Office and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, tour-de-force Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP enjoys an esteemed reputation across pharma, consumer products, entertainment and financial services sectors, acting for a consortium of high-profile clients such as IBM, Nestlé and Caterpillar. The ‘top-notch’ and ‘highly competent’ practice draws on the support of its offices across Europe and Asia. The practice is jointly led by Naresh Kilaru, who routinely handles trademark, copyright and unfair competition litigation before an extensive range of US district and appellate courts, managing partner Erika Harmon Arner and firm chair Anand Sharma. Key contact Danny Awdeh fields a strong practice that comprises assisting with global brand launches, high-value transactions, and strategic counselling, while B. Brett Heavner substantially bolsters the practice with his strengths in domestic and international trademark litigation. Sports sector specialist Douglas Rettew and Mark Sommers, whose wide-ranging experience representing clients before the USPTO and TTAB alongside federal district and appellate courts. Morgan E. Smith is well positioned to manage mandates arising from sports equipment, electronics and telecoms sectors, and Laura Johnson, who operates from the firm’s Boston office, is noted for her strong presence across automotive, medical products and music sectors, among others. All other listed attorneys are based in Washington DC.

Maintaining an active practice extending across sports, entertainment and technology sectors to name a few, ‘fantastically capable’ New York boutique firm Cowan, Liebowitz & Latman, PC is noted for its wide-ranging practice across trademark counseling, clearance, prosecution and enforcement across an international scale. The team also regularly handles social media issues, advertising matters and co-branding agreements. Practice head Deborah Squiers leverages her vast expertise in handling portfolio work as well as opposition and cancellation proceedings to assist household name brands, while Joel Karni Schmidt is geared to handle strategic work and prosecution and management matters for well-known brands and not-for-profit organizations. Mary Kevlin oversees domestic and international portfolios and international clearance and filing programs. Kieran Doyle is well positioned to handle sports, fashion and cannabis related mandates, and Robert English routinely represents a varied client roster, from start-ups and established companies, on a multitude of trademark enforcement and prosecution. Another recommended lawyer is Meichelle MacGregor, who demonstrates proficiencies across a diverse range of sectors, from fashion and jewelry to chemical and manufacturing industries. Reema Pangarkar is another key name to note in the practice.

Leveraging its expansive global network to assist notable clients such as Nike and Dr. Seuss Enterprises, DLA Piper LLP (US) is a premier choice for clients requiring assistance with trademarks relating to the blockchain, Web3, and NFTs and is also currently expanding its life sciences practice. Tamar Duvdevani helms the practice from the firm’s New York office, while key contact and branding strategist Keith Medansky and Michael Geller, who is regarded for his capabilities in managing trademark portfolios for multinational brands, operate from the firm’s Chicago office. In Washington DC, Thomas Zutic fields a varied practice that comprises IP licensing, strategic issues and domain name portfolio management, and in San Francisco, Gina Durham maintains a strong reputation in the technology, media, and retail sectors. Other names to note include Sacramento’s Carissa Bouwer and Washington DC’s Alberto Zacapa Zelaya.

Recommended for its ‘very deep and strong bench of experts’, New York-based intellectual property boutique firm Fross Zelnick Lehrman & Zissu, P.C. enjoys a strong presence in the consumer products, fashion, food and beverage and pharma sectors among others, operating for a number of notable blue-chip clients. ‘Genius’ Nadine Jacobson deploys her considerable experience to manage all facets of global brand strategies, while Allison Strickland Ricketts holds a wealth of experience in trademark prosecution. Nancy Sabarra is regularly entrusted by high-profile clients to manage trademark counselling and prosecution mandates and ‘superstar’ Lydia Gobena pairs her international experience with a wide-ranging expertise that encompasses trademark, industrial design, copyright and unfair competition issues. Craig Mende and Charles Weigell are other names to note in the practice.

Noted for its ability to ‘provide considered, well thought through advice’, Loeb & Loeb LLP demonstrates notable prowess across licensing agreements, global portfolio management and brand strategy, frequently handling cutting-edge technologies, and is well-positioned to operate for standout clients such as the Estate of Kobe Bryant, Carrie Underwood and City National Bank. Fashion, luxury and retail expert Melanie Howard, who fields a strong practice comprising of strategic brand protection guidance and assisting clients with IP issues surrounding M&A and other commercial transactions, jointly leads from Los Angeles with Sara Crisafulli, who is particularly well-versed in fashion, entertainment, hospitality and technology and media sectors. Bess Morgan leads from Nashville, possessing extensive experience in managing domestic and international trademark portfolios, and in counselling clients on brand selection and clearance. in LA, Jorge Arciniega leverages his vast experience in the field to assist clients with global trademark portfolio management, while David Grace is demonstrably capable of advising start-ups, established brands and Fortune 500 companies.

Acting for a diverse consortium of clients across fintech, insurance, transport and pharma sectors, among others, McDermott Will & Emery LLP capitalizes on its deep bench strength across the North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific regions to manage and safeguard brands through strategic counselling and enforcement. The practice is jointly spearheaded by Chicago-based Christina Martini, who bolsters the practice with her expansive expertise across trademark, copyright, social media and domain name mandates, and Silicon Valley-based William Gaede, who deploys his vast experience in the medical industry to assist high-profile clients. Chicago’s Jennifer Mikulina contributes her wide-ranging expertise across trademark counselling, prosecution, licensing, and enforcement to the practice, while Orange County’s Sarah Bro operates for a plethora of clients across life sciences, fintech, media, real estate sectors. Other key figures include Robert Zelnick and Eleanor Atkins from Washington DC.

Praised for its ‘fast, to the point and comprehensive’ trademark practice, Baker Botts L.L.P. demonstrates considerable proficiencies in a diverse spectrum of sectors, ranging from electronics and financial services to entertainment and music. Leading the practice from the firm’s Dallas office is Paul Reilly is routinely entrusted by clients to assist with trademark clearance, domestic and international scale rebranding and global prosecution mandates, while Suzanne Hengl, who strengthens the practice with her expertise in prosecution, brand protection and enforcement, leads the team from New York. In Austin, Christopher Palermo is notably well-versed in handling mandates relating to various technologies, including AI, e-procurement, networking and robotics. In New York, Julie Albert fields a considerable workload across technology, media, entertainment, fashion, consumer products and beverage sectors.

Powered by its capacity to manage matters for start-ups through to established corporations, Cooley LLP‘s expansive practice encompasses portfolio management, exploitation and licensing work on both a domestic and international scale, demonstrating particular prowess in the technology and life sciences sector. Washington DC-based Brendan Hughes steers the practice, contributing his capabilities in global trademark portfolio management, commerce issues and monetary damages in the trademark space, while Los Angeles-based Bobby Ghajar‘s wide-ranging experience incorporates a variety of trademark, copyright, and right of publicity mandates. Operating across the firm’s New York and San Francisco offices, JP Oleksiuk harnesses his international expertise to assist growing and established brands across a diverse range of industries, while San Diego’s Anne Peck is noted for being entrusted by various business and technology innovators.

Praised for its ‘responsive and strategic’ approach, Greenberg Traurig LLP operates across the full spectrum of trademark issues for a varied range of notable clients, from ESPN and American Airlines to CrossFit and Barry’s Bootcamp. The practice is jointly spearheaded by Orange County’s Susan Heller, whose high-stakes expertise is valued by a varied roster of Fortune 500 companies, world champion athletes, high-net-worth individuals and highly visible pre-IPO companies; Atlanta’s Joel Feldman, who primarily focuses on domestic and international brand management; Los Angeles-based Candice Kim, who is regarded for her ability to handle all facets of the branding process and Chicago’s Mark Galis, who manages the portfolios of mid-market clients and start-ups. Other key contacts include Chicago-based Eric Maiers and Jeffrey Dunning, alongside Minneapolis-based Stephen Baird and Atlanta-based Sabina Vayner.

Active across sports, media, financial services and technology sectors, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP maintains a broad offering handling world marks, slogans and sound marks for notable clients such as The Vitamin Shoppe and Peanuts Worldwide. John Gary Maynard, who operates out of the firm’s Washington DC and Richmond office and is noted for his brand protection, online enforcement and domain name counseling, jointly leads the practice alongside tech sector specialist Tyler Maddry, who is based in the firm’s New York office. Richmond’s Stephen Demm is regularly engaged to manage trademark mandates in the energy sector and New York’s Jonathan Reichman, who is recommended for his ‘highly commercial’ approach.

Leveraging its global presence extending across Europe and Asia, Jones Day‘s ‘practical, efficient, and knowledgeable’ trademark practice demonstrates strengths in handling clearance, prosecution and portfolio management for clients active in the luxury brands, consumer goods and pharma sectors, to name a few. Leading the team from the firm’s Cleveland office, Carrie Kiedrowski is particularly noted for her expertise in handling and enforcing trademark rights related to the Internet, AI and machine learning alongside branding in the social media sphere. In Washington DC, John Froemming possesses vast experience in the transactional IP space, and in Cleveland’s Meredith Wilkes represents a varied roster of clients in high-stakes trademark, trade dress and false advertising work. In Houston, Anna E. Raimer bolsters the practice with her broad range of experience across clearance, prosecution and maintenance in the trademark space and associate Megan McKeown holds particular expertise in handling domestic and international trademark portfolios.

Capitalizing on its global network, K&L Gates fields a varied non-contentious practice that encompasses the full spectrum of matters, including global clearance, maintenance, policing and enforcement, advising notable clients such as Abercrombie & Fitch and TripAdvisor. The practice is jointly led by Chicago-based Robert Barrett, who is notably active across biotech, chemical and software sectors and experienced litigator Theo Angelis, who operates from the firm’s Seattle office. In Washington DC, Susan Kayser contributes her expertise in the luxury, consumer goods and technology industries to the practice, while in Seattle, Pam Jacobson strengthens the firm’s offering with her portfolio management and procurement expertise. Boston’s David Byer and Austin’s Stewart Mesher are also recommended.

With an established presence across retail, consumer, electronics and media sectors to name a few, Kirkland & Ellis LLP harnesses its global network to manage trademark licensing matters, branding, franchising and advertising matters for notable brands such as E.l.f Beauty. Practice head and IP authority Dale Cendali is especially noted for her extensive and wide-ranging experience across trademark, false advertising and trade secrets issues, while Claudia Ray demonstrates comprehensive capabilities that span the entertainment and media, financial services, technology, and consumer products industries. Other key names to note include Mary Mazzello, who regularly advises on branding matters, new product launches, and licensing, and Shanti Sadtler Conway, who bolsters the practice with her ability to handle social media, licensing and right of publicity issues, with Joshua Simmons also being recommended. All listed attorneys are based in New York.

Counting Mattel, Olaplex and Oatly in its varied client roster, Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP is routinely involved in matters relating to false advertising, data privacy, cryptocurrency and legal cannabis across consumer products, food, financial services and high tech industries. The practice is jointly steered by Susan Natland, who possesses deep experience in advising on all aspects of domestic and international brand protection, and Jeff Van Hoosear, who capitalizes on his vast experience to represent clients with an active presence in the apparel and sporting goods sectors in particular. Other key figures in the team include managing partner Steven Nataupsky and Los Angeles-based Jonathan Hyman, who maintains a strong practice in establishing trademark portfolios for the protection of company assets.

Active across the consumer products, pharma and tech sectors, to name a few, ‘outstanding’ Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP combines its transactional, counseling and trademark portfolio management expertise to support a varied client roster that encompasses Uber Technologies and Office Depot. The practice is jointly spearheaded by Anita Polott in Washington DC, who is noted for her capabilities in brand protection strategies and trademark licensing work, and Josh Dalton in Boston, who strengthens the practice with his experience that spans retail, tech, media and e-commerce sectors. Boston-based Rachelle Dubow is particularly well-versed in trademark prosecution and global brand management, while San Francisco’s Carla Oakley is routinely sought out by clients for her development of trademark portfolios, design protection strategies and IP enforcement program experience. Washington DC’s Kristin Altoff and San Francisco’s Gene Park are other key figures within the practice.

Regularly advising clients in the video games, banking, tech and automotive sectors among others, Norton Rose Fulbright is capable of advising clients on clearance, prosecution, registration and a host of other transactional trademark mandates. Timothy M Kenny, who wields his considerable experience in opposition and cancellation proceedings to act for a varied client roster, and Felicia Boyd, whose capabilities involve handling trademark mandates arising from the financial services, medical devices, music and pharma industries, jointly helm the team from Minneapolis. Linda M Merritt strengthens the team from the firm’s Dallas office, contributing her diverse expertise across software, food products and pharma sectors. Other key names to note in the practice include Houston’s Andrea Shannon and Austin’s Stephanie Schmidt, who are both senior associates, and Alesha Dominique, who joined as partner from Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP in September 2023. Johanna Schmitt joined the firm from Kirkland & Ellis LLP in New York in June 2024.