Faegre Drinker Ranked Among Top Trademark Firms in 2021 Edition of WTR 1000

Faegre Drinker’s intellectual property practice and partners have been recognized in the annual World Trademark Review 1000 – The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals, for 2021. Now in its eleventh year, the WTR 1000 “shines a spotlight on the firms and individuals that are deemed outstanding in this critical area of practice.” According to the publication, the ranking “remains the only standalone publication to recommend individual practitioners and their firms exclusively in the trademark field, and identifies the leading players in over 80 key jurisdictions globally.”

Intellectual Property teams in Colorado, Washington, D.C., Indiana and Minnesota are identified as standouts. Among the ranked lawyers are Faegre Drinker partners Emily Bayton, Darren Cahr, Jennifer Dean, Stephanie Gumm, Louis Perry, J. J. Saul and James Steffen.

Colorado

The firm’s practice in Colorado, which received a bronze ranking, is noted as having “the resources and reach to serve as a single point of contact for brand-related matters worldwide. Its dedicated trademark, copyright, advertising and media team puts the right tools to use expeditiously and efficiently to get brand owners to their desired destination.” Denver partner Emily Bayton is recognized for her work for several household clients in retail and footwear. The publication said that Bayton “never misses the mark with her advice and actions – whether tasked with prosecuting applications, negotiating agreements or representing parties in disputes. She takes a personal interest in clients’ products and businesses, and puts great care into her work.”

District of Columbia

In metropolitan Washington, D.C., Faegre Drinker is recognized as a top firm for prosecution and strategy, with the practice receiving a bronze ranking and partner Jennifer Dean being individually featured. The WTR 1000 said, “With 1,300 attorneys and other professionals on deck in 22 locations in the United States, the United Kingdom and China, Faegre Drinker is in pole position to handle the full range of commercial legal issues on an international scale. Placing brands firmly in their business context, its trademark, copyright, advertising and media practitioners – over 30 professionals at last count – support in-house brand managers in many meaningful ways.” Partner Jennifer Dean was highlighted by the publication for “making the DC office a destination of choice for quality counsel. ‘She has vast experience in international brand matters and is a thorough, practical lawyer with a gift for making complex legal processes easily understood by non-experts. Her customer service methods and standards are the best, and she really becomes part of your business team, more than just an external representative.”

Illinois

Chicago partners Darren Cahr and J. J. Saul are described as “stars” by the WTR 1000. The publication says, “Cahr coordinates the protection and enforcement of many iconic brands for a leading healthcare multinational. He is extremely well-rounded in the practice; as is Saul, a lawyer whose negotiations and communications consistently get results.”

Indiana

In Indiana, Faegre Drinker received a gold ranking – the publication’s top designation. Indianapolis partners Stephanie Gumm and Louis Perry are noted by the WTR 1000 for being drivers of the practice. The publication says, “Gumm shines in the role of global brand manager for patrons. She is highlighted as a ‘deeply strategic thinker who provides business-focused advice’ and Perry frequently makes the difference on contentious engagements; in one recent highlight, he obtained a preliminary injunction for 3M arising from the misappropriation of its trademarks in connection with the proposed sale of N95 respirators to the state of Indiana.”

Minnesota

The WTR 1000 recognized the firm’s trademark practice in Minnesota with a silver ranking, highlighting the accomplishments of firm’s intellectual property practice leader James Steffen. The publication says, “Among the department’s leading lights is Minneapolis-based James Steffen, who serves as a trusted adviser to several locally based but nationally famous brands in the food and retail sectors. He is cited by peers as a masterful global brand protector, enforcement ace and litigator.”