Trademark & Copyright Litigation

Smith Anderson’s trademark and copyright litigation attorneys combine deep subject matter knowledge with experience asserting and defending a spectrum of intellectual property claims, including trademark, trade dress and copyright infringement, Digital Millennium Copyright Act and publicity rights violations, and false advertising, dilution, unfair competition and domain name disputes. Clients turn to our trademark and copyright litigators to help them resolve challenging intellectual property disputes because of our thorough and substantive knowledge, our extensive trial experience, our creative problem solving and our practical, time-seasoned judgment.

We frequently handle trademark disputes, including proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Our copyright litigation experience includes disputes concerning online sales of posters and fine art, movies, software and video game artwork. We assist with advertising and marketing issues, and we have helped clients execute brand and trademark enforcement programs. Additionally, we regularly represent clients concerning unfair competition claims related to alleged trademark and copyright infringement.

Services

• Trademark, trade dress and copyright infringement litigation
• Advertising, unfair competition and social media disputes
• Trademark opposition and cancellation proceedings

Trademark and Advertising Litigation

• Lead counsel protecting the trademark portfolio for a world-renowned golf resort, a three-time winner of Travel + Golf Magazine’s Best Golf Resort in America award and three-time host of the U.S. Open golf tournament.
• Defense of a leading online retailer of fine art and posters in trademark and publicity rights matters.
• Defense of a national sports television network against trademark infringement claims relating to a made-for-television film.
• Defense of the operator of a university dining establishment against claims for trademark infringement and misappropriation of trade secrets.
• Representation of a major agricultural products company in a proceeding before the Better Business Bureau’s National Advertising Division challenging the company’s advertising for a lawn care product.
• Defense of a leading online provider of real estate marketing services against trademark infringement claims by a magazine publisher.
• Representation of a large convenience store chain against claims in trade dress litigation concerning fast food décor.
• Representation of multiple clients in trademark opposition and cancellation proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.

Copyright Litigation

• Defended a leading online retailer of fine art and posters against copyright infringement claims asserted by a major photography licensing company.
• Obtained a favorable settlement for two university researchers on copyright infringement claims against a university spin-out company formed to commercialize the researchers’ anti-stuttering technology.
• Defended a developer of video game software against copyright infringement claims asserted by a former licensor.
• Defended a video game developer against copyright infringement claims concerning game artwork.