INDUSTRIES & PRACTICES

inherently distinctive

Trademark, Copyright + Advertising

PROTECTING AND ENHANCING THE COMMERCIAL OBJECTIVES OF YOUR BRANDS AND CREATIVE RIGHTS.

WTR 2026 Quote NY Trademark Testimonial

Overview

Trademarks and copyrights are the ambassadors of commerce, helping businesses build and maintain awareness of -- and demand for -- their products and services. We have been helping clients protect, enforce and leverage these vital assets for more than 50 years and currently manage tens of thousands of active trademark and copyright applications and registrations on behalf of companies ranging from start-ups to global multinationals.

Our work is recognized by leading industry guides. Clients and commentators describe Dorsey as “distinguished by its deep IP expertise and global reach,” noting that we “blend legal precision with a business-oriented approach” and deliver “robust brand protection across jurisdictions and industries” (WTR 2026). Chambers USA highlights the team’s strength in copyright, trademark, and transactional matters, praising our “responsiveness and cogent and strategic advice” and describing the firm as “very knowledgeable and always accessible” (Chambers USA 2025).

Our team provides a full suite of services, including:

  • Developing domestic and international brand strategies. Distinguished for our client-first ethos and precision, we excel at navigating complex international trademark landscapes, delivering tailored legal strategies that align with clients’ commercial objectives.
  • Searching, registering, and maintaining trademarks and copyrights.
  • Registering, renewing, transferring and enforcing domain names. Chambers USA recognizes our experience handling domain name registration issues and cybersquatting concerns.
  • Endorsements, testimonials and social media marketing disclosures.
  • Influencer agreements.
  • Enforcing rights in brands and content. The team includes nationally recognized litigators described by clients as “excellent” and “fantastic lawyers who know case law like the back of their hand.”
  • Performing intellectual property due diligence in M&A, financing and other business transactions.
  • Negotiating purchase, sale and financing agreements related to intellectual property and assisting with the transfer of intellectual property rights and recording of security interests and assignments related to corporate transactions.
  • Strategic positioning of trademarked or copyrighted products and services through licensing and joint venture programs.
  • International license recordings.
  • Negotiating distributorship, publishing, sponsorship, endorsement and similar types of agreements.
  • Providing guidance on contests, sweepstakes and other types of promotions.
  • Advising on issues unique to online retail sales.
Manage Your IP Assets + -
Worldwide Reach + -

Experience

Illustrative Representations

  • Boston Beer Corp. During our time acting as Boston Beer’s trademark counsel we have reviewed hundreds of proposed brand names, advertising slogans and label designs. We have also provided advice on advertising substantiation, contests, endorsements, publishing agreements and domain name and copyright issues.
  • Caribou Coffee Company, Inc. We advise Caribou Coffee with respect to trademark prosecution and strategy, enforcement, litigation, licensing and transactional matters across the globe. Dorsey has helped Caribou and its subsidiaries achieve numerous strategic licensing and enforcement victories and continues to assist Caribou in expanding its international footprint.
  • Major Airline. We helped a major airline obtain a domain name registration from a cybersquatter by filing a complaint with the World Intellectual Property Organization.
  • Pharmaceutical Trademark Experts. For many years, we have served as trusted counsel to pharmaceutical companies of all sizes. Our expertise begins with clinical stage drugs and the process of clearing suitable name candidates for use in the United States and beyond. We then create strategies for filing and managing our clients’ global trademark and domain name portfolios. For clients with existing pharmaceuticals, we work with Customs and Border Patrol in the US and abroad, handle oppositions and cancellations globally, and also litigate trademark and false advertising issues in federal court. 
  • Global Beverage Distributor. We provide one of the world's largest distributors of premium alcoholic beverages with strategic advice concerning its adoption and use of trademarks. We enable the distributor to use the trademarks and marketing slogans they prefer in ways that avoid conflict and strengthen their rights in the marketplace.
  • Major Retailer. We successfully assisted a major retailer in connection with its application to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to run its name as a “.brand” gTLD. In addition, we helped the retailer with several complex trademark enforcement matters involving the scraping of its website and the use of its brands in connection with credit card injection apps and internet browser plug-ins.
  • World's Largest Luggage Company. We manage and develop the entire domestic and international patent and trademark portfolio held by the largest travel luggage company in the world. We represent the client in IP licensing, the acquisition of IP assets, investigative matters and support the worldwide enforcement of its patent, trademark and copyright assets. We also provide IP due diligence services in connection with the client's M&A activities and we regularly clear all global product launches and assist with global customs and counterfeit enforcement matters.
  • Leading Provider of Oral Health Products. We help a global provider of oral health products to protect its many innovative products around the world. We provide clearance services prior to commercial introduction and represent the manufacturer in structuring its international distributor relationships and with respect to advertising issues and disputes. We also assist it with its aggressive efforts to thwart piracy in China and with regard to domain name and online infringement issues as well as grey goods and counterfeiting disputes around the world.
  • Leading Seller of Personal Care Products. We represent the U.S. subsidiary of one of the world's leading sellers of tissue and personal care products. We have provided advice and training on a wide variety of trademark and advertising issues, including claim substantiation, comparative advertising, online marketing and privacy issues.
  • Top U.S. Cooperative. Dorsey handles all trademark, copyright, label review, and intellectual property enforcement for one of the top ten largest cooperatives in the U.S. Dorsey has helped this client and its subsidiaries achieve numerous enforcement victories during the past year, handling over 70 enforcement and opposition matters in the U.S. during this time. Dorsey also cleared numerous new brands and analysed myriad product labels in connection with intellectual property, advertising and regulatory issues.
  • Leading worldwide retailer, designer, manufacturer, and marketer of products and accessories with sun-protective qualities. Dorsey’s assists with enforcement and prosecution matters and domain name acquisitions and management strategies.

Representative Litigation Matters

  • Ultra Records, Inc. v. Ultra International Music Publishing, LLC, 22-cv-9667 (AS), 2025 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 33338 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 25, 2025). Obtained plaintiff’s verdict following a six-day jury trial and subsequent bench proceeding on claims for trademark infringement, unfair competition, and dilution; secured permanent injunction enjoining future use of the ULTRA mark.
  • GROWMARK, Inc. v. Serrala Group GmbH, 2024 TTAB LEXIS 306 (TTAB 2024). Successfully sustained opposition filed on behalf of owner of the FS mark and obtained refusal of application to register.
  • Scotts v. Procter & Gamble, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio (2024) (Cole, J.). Lead counsel defending Procter & Gamble in trade dress infringement litigation concerning Scotts’ Miracle-Gro products; defeated motion for preliminary injunction.
  • Grecco v. TikTok, Inc., U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (2024) (Aenlle-Rocha, J.). Representing TikTok in copyright infringement litigation.

Accolades

World Trademark Top Trademark Firm

World Trademark Review Leading Trademark Professionals

Trademark Prosecution IP Stars Managing IP

Dorsey IP Stars- Managing IP Handbook

The TMCA Blog - Top Trademark Law Blog - FeedSpot

Chambers IP Leading Lawyers 2023

Dorsey Leading IP Practice-Chambers 2021

Best Law Firms Leading Technology Law Firm 2024

Tier 1 Trademark, Copyright Law & IP Litigation - Nationally Ranked in 2025 Edition of Best Law Firms

Tier 1 Litigation- Intellectual Property - Nationally Ranked in 2025 Edition of Best Law Firms

Tier 1 Trademark Law - Nationally Ranked in 2025 Edition of Best Law Firms

Tier 1 Copyright Law - Nationally Ranked in 2025 Edition of Best Law Firms

Contacts

Fara Sunderji
Practice Group Leader
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