Troutman Pepper

Firm overview:

Shortly before these rankings went to press, a merger was announced between Troutman Pepper and Locke Lord, effective from January 1, 2025. Locke Lord is recognised in the US as a leading firm in many practice areas, including IP litigation.

The newly combined firm, which will be named Troutman Pepper Locke, will employ more than 1,600 attorneys across 33 offices in the US and two in Europe, with a presence in all 10 of the largest US legal markets.

It remains to be seen how the new firm will perform in terms of trademark excellence in the US; for now, these rankings are based on Troutman Pepper only.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Troutman Pepper’s trademark litigators assist clients with pre-litigation counselling, planning and enforcement efforts. The firm handles trademarks, service marks, counterfeiting, trade dress, trade names and false advertising. 

Troutman attorneys appear on claims in federal and state trial and appellate courts throughout the US, representing clients in the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), including more than 1,000 trademark opposition, cancellation and other actions before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB).

In November 2024 the firm launched its No Infringement Intended podcast, which explores how IP shapes the media and pop culture, covering copyright disputes, trademark controversies and more.

Team overview:

Troutman’s countrywide trademarks team includes New Yorker Howard Shire, who “has sound judgement”, and is experienced in infringement matters resulting in verdicts worth millions of dollars and precedent-setting decisions in IP law. Georgian Michael Hobbs is a team contact with a broad practice that includes successfully securing trademark and logo protection for Operation Smile, an international medical charity, in a trademark lawsuit in Hong Kong.

Key matters:

• Partner Ben Wagner secured a trademark win for Maryland-based flooring company Guang Tai He Import Export with a permanent injunction from a California district court. The defendant in the case registered the generic term ‘SPC’, used as an acronym in the industry for ‘stone plastic composite’ flooring. This resulted in more than 16 containers of the plaintiff’s flooring being detailed by US Customs for using the term.
• Wagner filed an ex parte application for a temporary restraining order on the basis of the potential for irreparable harm to the client’s business. The court granted the TRO and a preliminary injunction, and then a permanent injunction.

Clients:

Dapper Labs, E.A.D., Guang Tai He Import Export, Haimer, Log Still Distilling, Lontex, Operation Smile, Mohawk, Pergo (Europe).