Intellectual Property Department Honored by World Trademark Review 2024
Cozen O'Connor’s Intellectual Property Department was recognized by World Trademark Review 1000. Amy Divino, Noelle Engle-Hardy, Lisa Ferrari, Shane Hardy, Ashley Kessler, Lorraine Linford, Camille Miller, Melanie Miller, Brigeeta Richdale, and Edward Weisz were named to the World Trademark Review 1000 list.
The World Trademark Review 1000 is determined by a four-month research period with hundreds of lawyers and their clients involved with trademarks. Research is done with face-to-face and telephone interviews and exchanged correspondence, along with written submissions from firms detailing their recent activity in the field. Firms qualify for a listing on the basis of their depth of experience, market presence, and the level of work on which they are typically instructed.
The Pennsylvania IP practice was honored as a recommended firm. WTR 1000 attributed the firm’s success in maintaining large international portfolios for its clientele to Philadelphia-based attorneys Camille Miller and Melanie Miller, “who make a prime team combining their diverse trademark expertise in both claiming and enforcing trademarks.” Camille and Melanie were recognized for maintaining portfolios for some of the group’s most notable clients, including American Cruise Lines, The Beachbody Company, and Dansko.
WTR 1000 recognized the New York practice as a Bronze Firm for prosecution and strategy. Amy Divino was acknowledged for her securing protection for her clients’ most important brands. Edward Weisz was recognized for his unmatched ability to understand and properly prosecute the technical nature of his clients’ products. Ashley Kessler was noted as a leader in the cannabis and related products sector, supporting Cloverleaf University, the only accredited cannabis education program with trademark issues. WTR 1000 highlighted Lisa Ferrari for helping the restaurant Mozza obtain trademark licensing for its ventures in Miami and DC.
For the first time, the Canadian IP practice was honored as a Bronze Firm “looked to by a wide range of clients to manage and maintain their valuable trademarks.” Shane Hardy, Noelle Engle-Hardy, and Brigeeta Richdale were recognized as “the trio team” that handled the acquisition, maintenance, and protection of brands such as Honda Motors and Spinrite Inc.
Divino, co-chair of Cozen O'Connor’s Trademark Prosecution Practice, has extensive experience in all phases of trademark law in the United States and throughout the world. Her practice is focused on trademark protection and enforcement in dozens of fields, including food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, health care, banking and financial, e-commerce, computer electronics, hardware and software, print and electronic media, and apparel. She represents clients in connection with cybersecurity, counterfeiting, domain name infringement matters, and other Internet-related issues. Amy has transactional experience involving foreign and domestic trademark licensing and distribution agreements, as well as other agreements involving intellectual property interests.
Engle-Hardy is a registered trademark agent who focuses her practice on intellectual property disputes and litigation in a variety of industries, including consumer packaged goods, sporting goods, videogames, alcohol, food and beverage products, luxury goods, professional sports, pharmaceuticals, furniture and lighting, clothing and cosmetics, cannabis, casino and real estate development, franchise, and fine art. She has experience at all stages of litigation, from obtaining Anton Piller Orders and interlocutory injunctive relief to successfully arguing multiple appeals before the Federal Court of Appeal. She helps her clients secure timely trademark registration in Canada and routinely drafts evidence to expedite their trademark applications. She regularly conducts and defends summary expungement and opposition proceedings before the Trademark Opposition Board.
Ferrari, co-chair of Cozen O'Connor’s Copyright Practice, litigates trademark, copyright, and patent infringement actions in U.S. federal courts. In addition to her litigation practice, she maintains an active trademark protection and enforcement practice, advising clients in various fields, including art, apparel, hospitality, food and beverage products, jewelry and accessories, dentistry, housewares, and electronics. She also prosecutes trademark applications, represents clients in trademark cancellation and opposition proceedings in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and handles matters relating to copyright registration and enforcement. In addition, she represents clients in areas involving licensing, royalties, assignments, liens, trademark co-existence, comparative advertising, and the seizure of counterfeit goods. She also regularly assists clients in filing takedown notices under the DMCA and addressing issues arising from the online sales of NFTs, the gray market, and counterfeit goods.
Hardy, chair of Cozen O'Connor’s Canadian Intellectual Property Practice, is a strategic business adviser who has assisted in acquiring, licensing, and marketing some of the world’s most famous trademarks and IP assets. He is one of a select few Canadian practitioners recognized for his experience in commercial transactions regarding intellectual property assets and is frequently called upon by brand owners around the world to assist with their international acquisition and licensing plans. He has assisted clients with dozens of cross-border acquisitions where target entities have an intellectual property focus. As a registered trademark agent, he has managed intellectual property portfolios on behalf of some of the world’s most successful brands. He acts for clients in trademark oppositions and cancellation proceedings and provides strategic guidance to globally recognized clients on trademark availability, registrability, and online expansion plans.
Kessler focuses her practice on intellectual property, including trademark prosecution, licensing, litigation, and internet disputes. She handles matters relating to ICANN proceedings, trademark proceedings within TTAB, copyright and entertainment matters, and patent litigation matters. In addition, she has experience handling trademark matters for clients in the retail, food and beverage, jewelry, cannabis, CBD, and beauty and wellness industries. She regularly counsels clients on all phases of intellectual property licensing and litigation.
Linford, co-chair of Cozen O'Connor’s Trademark Prosecution Practice, focuses on helping clients develop comprehensive IP strategies to further their business goals and meet industry challenges, including procurement and enforcement of trademark registrations and utility and design patents. She helps clients in the United States and other countries create global trademark and patent portfolios across various fields and technologies, including mechanical and aeronautical engineering, automotive, apparel, software, and personal care products. She also helps clients with the global enforcement of their trademark portfolios, including strategic planning, trademark oppositions, and cancellation actions around the world; and various manufacturing, distribution, and license agreements.
Camille Miller, co-chair of Cozen O’Connor’s Intellectual Property Practice, is an internationally respected intellectual property attorney and a senior leader in Cozen O’Connor, currently serving as a member of the board of directors, Management Committee, and Investment Committee. Camille has deep experience in many aspects of intellectual property, including trademark, trade dress, copyright, unfair competition, cybersecurity and data breaches, right of privacy, right of publicity, domain names, counterfeiting, licensing, and intellectual property litigation. She is frequently engaged to consult and advise in each of these areas. She is ongoing global trademark counsel to Fortune 500 companies and manages massive client trademark portfolios, oversees IP strategy and new registrations, monitors usage 24/7, and leads enforcement efforts to shut down any improper use or infringement.
Melanie Miller concentrates her practice on all aspects of complex commercial, general, and intellectual property litigation. She has 29 years of experience litigating trademarks, copyrights, patents, trade secrets, business and commercial disputes, and contract cases. She currently focuses on trademark and copyright infringement, unfair competition, false advertising, trade secret litigation, technology and internet counseling, trademark and copyright enforcement, and IP licensing. She has extensive experience enforcing trademark rights, responding to threats of infringement, and litigating business, commercial, and contract disputes in federal courts across the country or before the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. She also advises clients on how best to protect and enforce brands through policing programs or in court. She regularly assists clients with trademark and copyright matters, including launching advertising campaigns, advising on branding strategies, managing portfolios, policing efforts to protect trademarks and copyrights, and counseling on domain name disputes and various intellectual property licensing arrangements.
Richdale focuses her practice on counterfeit and online IP infringements, providing her clients counsel and advice in intellectual property enforcement and related litigation. She has also been called upon to educate international brand holders on internal and external investigations and the strategic prevention of counterfeit goods and services within the international market. Brigeeta has extensive experience guiding clients through online piracy issues and complex disputes, including private and public company litigation. Her experience in matters related to counterfeit goods is invaluable to clients prosecuting and defending applications before the Trademarks Opposition Board and in enforcement actions before Canada’s Federal Court.
Weisz, co-chair of Cozen O'Connor’s Patent Prosecution Practice, practices in all areas of intellectual property law, most recently focusing his work on U.S. patent and trademark prosecution, counseling, and licensing. He prosecutes patent applications, renders legal opinions, and advises clients on infringement, due diligence, freedom to operate, and validity issues in the automotive, consumer products, packaging, medical devices, plumbing, fashion, and tabletop industries. With an eye toward geographic IP protection, he advises and assists clients on strategies for IP protection.
About Cozen O'Connor
Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 825 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle-market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 32 offices across two continents.