Leason Ellis

Firm overview:

Leason Ellis continues to be a firm on the rise, managing US and foreign trademark portfolios for large institutional clients and building portfolios for emerging companies. A peer says the firm is “excellent in trademark prosecution, strategy, enforcement and advice” while a client describes it as “a small boutique that brings value for money”.

The firm clears new marks, advises on risks to use and registration, and files new applications in the US and abroad, as well as pursuing domain name disputes and other related trademark matters.

Team overview:

In addition to its trademark attorneys, Leason Ellis has four dedicated paralegals to help support the practice, equipping it with the capacity to handle large global trademark portfolios on behalf of major corporations. Its lawyers have lectured at events held by the International Trademark Association and American Intellectual Law Association, among others.

Described as “thoughtful and smart”, Lauren Emerson (Recommended, Non-Contentious) co-chairs the Trademark and Copyright practice group. Her practice is a mix of litigation and prosecution, with particular experience in working with individual authors. Emerson has brought her in-depth knowledge of IP law to litigation involving film, architecture, sippy cups, toy sprinklers, and more.

The firm’s go-to domain name expert, Martin Schwimmer (Recommended, Non-Contentious) has been practising IP law for more than 30 years. An industry thought leader, Schwimmer publishes the well-respected Trademark Blog as well as a microblog on X (formerly Twitter), and has been at the forefront of the forces that have transformed trademark law.

Key matters:

• Leason Ellis represents Interparfums, which produces fragrances under licensing agreements with major brand owners, in its US trademark matters. These include an infringement lawsuit filed in Indiana, in which Leason Ellis achieved a favourable settlement for the client based on a strategy of aggressively filing an independent suit.
• The firm provides trademarks services including worldwide portfolio management, clearance, filing, prosecution and enforcement for McGraw Hill, one of the “big three” educational publishers.
• Partner Karin Segall is part of the team that handles trademark prosecution and enforcement matters for Shedrain, a 75-year-old family-owned umbrella manufacturing company.

Clients:

Fiskars, Ghost, Interparfums, Inventec, Lightning Bolt US, Loftex Home, McGraw Hill, Party City/Amscan, Shedrain.