Group of IP Attorneys Leave Finnegan to Launch Innovative Boutique Kelly IP, LLP

WASHINGTON, April 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- A group of highly recognized intellectual property attorneys with more than 100 years of collective experience in litigation and counseling have launched Kelly IP, LLP. David M. Kelly, recognized by Legal 500 as one of the top ten trademark attorneys in the U.S., is leading the firm, along with Robert D. Litowitz, Linda K. McLeod, Stephanie H. Bald, and Lynn M. Jordan. All the attorneys were formerly with Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett, and Dunner, LLP.

Kelly IP will focus on all aspects of trademarks, copyrights, domain names, unfair competition, and related areas.

"Kelly IP recognizes that our clients' IP needs have evolved. There is a strong demand for a boutique law firm that offers sophisticated, high-value litigation and counseling expertise focusing on trademark, copyright, and Internet law," said David Kelly, co-founder and partner, Kelly IP. "We are excited to partner with our clients in this new venture."  

The five founding partners of Kelly IP, LLP are:

David M. Kelly

Dave has represented clients in trademark, copyright, and unfair competition issues for nearly 30 years, with a focus on litigation, disputes, and strategic counseling. He has first-chaired numerous cases and is consistently recognized as one of the top trademark lawyers in the U.S. According to Legal 500, clients describe Dave as "always first in line for our business," "an outstanding trademark litigator," "an exceptionally bright and thoughtful advocate," "full of business savvy," and "a source of much practical advice…that understands our business in a way that most lawyers don't." Dave served as Chair of Finnegan's Trademark and Copyright Practice Group for most of his 20+ years as a partner at the firm.

Robert D. Litowitz

Rob is a litigator with nearly 30 years of experience trying trademark cases before the courts, ITC, and TTAB, as well as false advertising, unfair competition, design patent, copyright, and trade secret cases. Rob has also litigated patent cases on products ranging from blockbuster prescription drugs to state-of-the-art jet engines. In 2012, Washingtonian Magazine named Rob as one of the Washington D.C. area's top IP lawyers. Rob has been an adjunct professor of trademark law at both George Washington and American University law schools. He founded Softrightsblog (www.softrightsblog.com) to explore the intersection between IP law, entertainment, and culture. Rob served on Finnegan's management committee and he was a partner there for 20+ years.

Linda K. McLeod

Linda is a former Administrative Trademark Judge of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB). She has been widely recognized for her unique background and extensive experience handling TTAB cases, as well as trademark appeals before the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. She was awarded "Best in Trademark" at Legal Media Group America's Women in Business Law Awards (2012). According to Legal 500 U.S., clients say Linda "provides exceptional advice," and in the World Trademark Review 1000 clients praise Linda for "always being on top of the latest trademark law developments" in TTAB and USPTO matters. Appointed by the Secretary of Commerce, Linda has served as a member of the USPTO's Trademark Public Advisory Committee (TPAC) since 2011. Linda was a partner at Finnegan for more than 10 years.

Stephanie H. Bald

Stephanie specializes in trademark, false advertising, and unfair competition litigation, disputes, and strategic counseling. She has represented clients in federal courts across the country and before the TTAB. Experienced in all aspects of litigation, Stephanie has authored winning trial briefs and dispositive summary judgment motions, and has obtained and defeated requests for emergency relief, including motions for temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions, and ex parte requests for discovery. Stephanie is Chair of the American Intellectual Property Association's (AIPLA) Trademark Litigation Committee and has written extensively on trademark issues. She has also devoted hundreds of hours to pro bono work, most recently obtaining asylum for a prominent human rights activist and his family. Before joining Kelly IP, Stephanie was a partner at Finnegan.

Lynn M. Jordan

Lynn is recognized for her expertise in handling trademark clearance, prosecution, and enforcement matters for major entertainment, news, and media companies, and her depth of knowledge on trademark and First Amendment law. She authored one of the leading articles on trademarks and the First Amendment, "Twenty Years of Rogers v. Grimaldi: Balancing the Lanham Act with the First Amendment Rights of Creators of Artistic Works," which won a Burton Award for excellence in legal writing in 2010. Lynn is ranked among the top trademark lawyers in the Washington, D.C. area by World Trademark Review 1000, and is described as an "accessible, hand's on practitioner with an immense understanding of media law and corporate realities." Lynn was an attorney at Finnegan for almost 15 years, serving as of counsel for most of that time.

Kelly IP, LLP is located 1330 Connecticut Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C., 20036. All inquiries can be directed to: [email protected]. Media inquiries can be directed to: Kathy Deveny at Kekst and Company, (212) 521-4896 or [email protected].

About Kelly IP, LLP

Kelly IP, LLP focuses on litigation and counseling in trademark, unfair competition, false advertising, right-of-publicity, copyright, design protection, anti-counterfeiting, licensing, and Internet and domain name matters. Its attorneys have been consistently recognized by peers and legal publications as leaders in their fields. Kelly IP is committed to providing sophisticated legal representation with a commitment to quality and cost effectiveness. For more information: http://www.kelly-ip.com/

SOURCE Kelly IP, LLP