A tour-de-force in the realm of litigation, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP retains a stellar client roster that spans financial services, beauty and tech companies who operate on a domestic and international scale. The team is well regarded for delivering ‘excellent results’ on a wide array of cutting-edge IP issues. New York and Francisco-based David Bernstein spearheads the team with his extensive experience in high-stakes litigation for global names, and he is a force to be reckoned with in relation to domain name disputes. In New York, Megan Bannigan contributes her wealth of expertise in assisting with litigation concerning AI and emerging technologies, while Jared Kagan notably excels in representing clients in state and federal courts, as well as before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Christopher Ford’s arsenal of skills encompasses trademark, trade dress, and false advertising litigation, and he is fully immersed in the tech and blockchain sectors. Kate Saba is also recommended.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge
Client satisfaction: NPS ®
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'The trademark litigation team at Debevoise delivers excellent results. They are by far the best team to go to for high-stakes trademark litigation. David Bernstein is a legend and is respected by adversaries and Judges.'
- 'David Bernstein and Jared Kagan always secure favorable outcomes for their clients. These two litigators are by far the best. They consistently deliver exceptional results and have superior acumen in trademark law compared to any other attorneys in the field.'
Key clients
- Apollo Group
- Arcesium LLC
- Bank of America
- Casa Azul Spirits
- DraftKings
- Grubhub Inc.
- Judd Foundation
- Mark Anthony International SRL
- Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
- Pernod Ricard SA
- Printify, Inc
- Rauch Industries
Work highlights
Advised Casa Azul Spirits LLC in a lawsuit brought by Casa Tradición S.A. de C.V. The case, which centered on allegations of trademark infringement, unfair competition and dilution, culminated in five-day bench trial in January in the Southern District of Texas, with a successful result.
Advised Snap, Inc. to a trial victory following a three-day bench trial that took place in March in Los Angeles, California.
Advised WEX Inc. in connection with a global dispute with Hewlett Packard (“HP”) over the WEX trademark where we secured a preliminary injunction against HP Inc. blocking the launch of HP's "WEX" software platform.
Lawyers
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Megan Bannigan
Leading associates
Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Practice head
David Bernstein
Other key lawyers
Megan Bannigan; Jared Kagan; Christopher Ford; Kate Saba