Michael D. Adams

Michael’s IP counseling experience includes structuring and performing due diligence in corporate mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, internal and external licensing programs, and strategic alliances involving intellectual property assets. He regularly advises clients in matters regarding ecommerce transactions, trademark and domain portfolio management and enforcement, Top-Level Domain applications, and compliance.

Michael's trademark prosecution experience includes all aspects of US and foreign trademark clearance, filing, and maintenance. Michael manages the US and international trademark portfolios of numerous clients including major banking, telecommunications, software, real estate, cosmetic, and food industry corporations. His advice to these and other corporate clients encompasses trademark availability, procurement, protection, and monetization. In his corporate counseling, Michael also develops world-wide trademark protection and enforcement programs that include trademark use manuals. His work also involves all aspects of documenting the requirements for protecting intellectual property in domestic and international licensing and franchising agreements. For financial institutions, Michael offers guidance regarding the securitization of IP assets as loan collateral and performs related recording requirements in these transactions. His intellectual property-related advice to clients regarding national and international advertising campaigns involves selecting and clearing advertising slogans and logos, reviewing advertisements to ensure claim substantiation and proper incorporation of regulatory disclaimers and notices, and negotiating vendor and ad placement agreements.

Michael is also very active in advising clients regarding the use of brands on the Internet, including the counseling of financial services, specialty retail, and e-commerce organizations on their applications for generic Top-Level Domains. In addition, Michael undertakes domain name enforcement litigation under the federal ACPA legislation and UDRP forums, and is actively involved in enforcement actions against the importation and distribution of counterfeit goods. In related Internet counseling, Michael advises on the proper use of materials on web sites, and assists with domain name portfolio management and protection.

Michael currently serves as a UDRP panelist with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Michael served as vice president and counsel for Diners Club International. Michael is also a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.

Advertising:

• advise clients regarding national and international advertising campaigns  
• provide counsel in selecting and clearing advertising slogans and logos  
• review advertisements for claim substantiation as well as applicable regulatory disclaimers and notices  
• negotiation of vendor and ad placement agreements. 

Prosecution:

• experience in all areas of US and foreign trademark clearance filing, prosecution and maintenance  
• responsible for management of US and international trademark portfolios of numerous clients including major banking, telecommunications, software, real estate and food industry corporations  
• advise corporate clients regarding trademark availability, procurement and protection, deceptive/comparative advertising issues and FDA labeling requirements  
• develop world-wide trademark protection and enforcement programs  
• develop trademark use manuals for corporate clients. 

Corporate/Licensing:

• experience in domestic and international intellectual property licensing, franchise agreements and related recordation requirements
• experience in corporate mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic alliances involving intellectual property assets  

Internet:

• experience with ICANN and all aspects of Top-Level and Second-Level procurement and protection  
• advising clients on the use of materials on web sites and related copyright and trademark issues  
• domain name portfolio management and protection  
• recovery of domain names under the federal Anti-Cybersquatting Consumer Protection Act and Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy

• Recognized by Trademark Insider as the number six trademark filer for 2008
• Recognized by Trademark Insider as a top 3 trademark filer for third quarter 2008 year-to-date trademark applications
• Recognized by Trademark Insider as a top 3 trademark filer in the first quarter of 2008
• Recognized by Trademark Insider as a top 20 trademark filer in the fourth quarter of 2007