James R. Steffen

Jim serves the legal needs of corporate marketing officers and the in-house counsel that represent them, with particular emphasis on contentious and non-contentious trademark and advertising law matters. In the contentious sphere, Jim has deep experience in all species of litigation under the federal Lanham Act, in advertising disputes before the National Advertising Division, and in registrability disputes before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. In the non-contentious sphere, Jim provides comprehensive advertising law advice and teams with in-house resources to develop cost-effective strategies for global trademark portfolios and enforcement.

Jim has for many years been Target Corporation's primary outside trademark counsel. In that role, Jim was intimately involved in the 1999 formation of Target Brands, Inc., Target's brand management subsidiary, and works closely with Target Brands in its efforts to define, protect and enhance its valuable marks, brands and other IP assets around the world. Jim has represented Target, Target Brands and various of Target's other subsidiaries in dozens of trademark, copyright and unfair competition actions across the United States, and has also advised Target Brands with respect to international IP issues.