Our firm has a comprehensive knowledge of all aspects of sports industry litigation. We have a remarkable track record in cases through trial and appeal, jury and non-jury, in state and federal court, as well as various domestic and international arbitral tribunals and government agencies. At the same time, we understand the need to explore alternatives to litigation, and have achieved outstanding levels of success in the earliest phases of legal disputes. Litigation in the field of sports is often high-profile in nature and requires quick and decisive action. But it also requires a sensitivity to the public images of sports figures and enterprises.
Our lawyers are extraordinarily well versed in the complex marketing and branding issues faced by companies in the sports entertainment industry. From fan-based web sites to cyber-squatters, from weighing important First Amendment concerns to obtaining seizure orders for counterfeit merchandise, we know from decades of experience that sports trademarks attract a great deal of public interest, some of it unwelcome. Our breadth of practice is evident in the scope and volume of cases we handle. Along with the dozens of federal and state court cases presently being litigated or negotiated, we are actively protecting and policing our clients intellectual property rights in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the World Intellectual Property Organization and various other agencies throughout the world.
Robert Raskopf, a partner in our New York office, has experience in the industry that spans four decades. Mr. Raskopf has served as chief outside intellectual property, litigation and licensing counsel to the NFL and its member clubs for over twenty years, and many of the decisions he has obtained for the NFL are widely recognized as being among the farthest reaching in sports marketing law. In the sports and marketing fields, Mr. Raskopf has also represented the National Hockey League, ESPN, Major League soccer, Arsenal Football Club, the Mexican National Football Team, Women’s United Soccer Association, Score/Pinnacle Trading Cards, The National Sports Daily, and Playoff/Donruss Trading Cards.
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