Manatt Expands Intellectual Property Practice With Addition of Top Trademark Lawyer

Michelle Cooke Brings Significant Trademark Transactional Capabilities to Los Angeles Office

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Oct 20, 2014, 12:28 ET

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, announced that Michelle A. Cooke has joined the Los Angeles office as a partner in the firm's Intellectual Property group. Cooke joins from Steptoe & Johnson, LLP, where she led the trademark transactional practice in California.

Cooke is a nationally recognized trademark prosecutor who helps clients build and protect their brands and equity rights — domestically, internationally and online. Her practice focuses primarily on branding, online services and international protection for companies at all stages, from startups to well-established corporations. She represents clients across a wide range of industries, and has particularly deep experience in apparel, entertainment and media, food and beverage, software, online services, and consumer products.

Cooke's addition comes closely on the heels of the three-partner intellectual property team, Robert W. Dickerson Jr., Yasser M. El-Gamal and Lawrence R. LaPorte, who began with the firm on Oct. 13. The trio has since been joined at Manatt by counsel Ehab Samuel and associate David D. Kim in Los Angeles, and counsel Charles A. Kertell in Orange County. The firm also added patent agent Shyh-Jye Wang in Orange County. The six-lawyer team was formerly with Dickstein Shapiro LLP. Dickerson joined as chair of Manatt's national Intellectual Property practice.

"One of the most valuable assets a company has is its intellectual property," said Matt Kanny, chair of Manatt's Litigation group, "and Michelle is an exceptional advisor and protector. She is highly regarded for her sophisticated and strategic approach to trademark issues and for helping clients develop and manage brand portfolios. Her impressive business and tech savvy will be a great benefit to clients and a resource for our strong and growing practice. Michelle is a terrific addition."

Cooke effectively guides clients through the full continuum of issues they face in establishing, expanding and exploiting brands, which includes managing portfolios, counseling in advertising and marketing, achieving maximum control and value for trademarks, resolving contract disputes and ensuring compliance, handling sales and acquisitions of portfolios, and mitigating risks. She also provides tailor counseling to intellectual property rights on the Internet and in global markets.

"Manatt provides an excellent platform to further grow my IP practice, particularly in the digital media space," said Cooke. "The breadth and depth of talent in the Litigation group and across practices is impressive and the integrated approach to legal services and business consulting is innovative. With the rapid expansion of the IP group, the energy is palpable. I'm enthusiastic about the opportunities and excited to collaborate with my new colleagues."

Manatt's Intellectual Property lawyers work with a broad range of IP-intensive industries, creating and refining strategies for protecting and monetizing some of the most significant and valuable product innovations, brands and content in the marketplace. They provide top-notch transactional and litigation services, including counseling, registration, brand protection, mediation, arbitration, trial and appeal. In 2014, the firm is nationally ranked for excellence in IP litigation and copyright law on the U.S. News & World Report list of "Best Law Firms."

In 2013, Cooke was recognized by the Daily Journal for the third consecutive year as one of the "Top 25 Intellectual Property Portfolio Managers/Patent Prosecutors in California." She was also profiled in the 2013 World Trademark Review 1000 and selected by the Los Angeles Business Journal as a top intellectual property attorney in 2012. She is currently ranked by Chambers USA in the area of California Intellectual Property: Trademark, Copyright & Trade Secrets.

Cooke earned a J.D. at the University of Virginia School of Law and a B.A. at the University of Virginia.

About Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, is one of the nation's leading law and consulting firms, with offices strategically located in California (Los Angeles, Orange County, Palo Alto, San Francisco and Sacramento), New York (New York City and Albany) and Washington, D.C. The firm represents a sophisticated client base - including Fortune 500, middle-market and emerging companies - across a range of practice areas and industry sectors. For more information, visit www.manatt.com.