Intellectual Property

Protecting Innovations

The internet has dramatically and permanently transformed business. It is more critical than ever that businesses protect intellectual property (“IP”) and ensure they are not infringing on others' IP rights. The Intellectual Property Group has assisted clients in practically every facet of these IP issues: forming corporate entities and preparing contracts and documents to clarify IP rights, obtaining copyrights and trademarks and helping clients protect them and other trade secret material, filing suit on behalf of clients to enforce IP rights, and defending claims asserted against our clients for a variety of alleged IP transgressions. The Intellectual Property Group takes pride in providing its clients with cost-effective solutions to resolve complex IP disputes, including matters involving trademark, copyright, or patent infringement, as well as licensing, trade secrets, deceptive trade practices, and false advertising claims. As a trial law firm, we always prepare each case as if it will be tried to a verdict; however, we recognize that a “win” is often defined as resolving IP disputes through settlement. We navigate our clients through these issues to reach a final resolution that makes the most business and practical sense, all while doing so in the most cost-efficient manner possible.

WWHGD’s attorneys have a range of backgrounds and education in a variety of technologies and industries including civil engineering, chemical engineering, chemistry, biology, medical sciences, accounting, finance, the arts, and medical devices and pharmaceuticals. Clients range from small “mom and pop” businesses to some of the largest manufacturing companies in the world. We have counseled clients on IP issues in a variety of industries including construction, tourism, television, real estate, manufacturing, automotive, retail, medical products, consumer products, textiles, publishing, photography, and services.

Representative Intellectual Property Work

• Obtained $236 million verdict as co-trial counsel for plaintiffs in software patent infringement case. 
• Obtained a complete defense award and defeated a $17 million trademark infringement claim in an AAA arbitration where our orthopedic products manufacturer client was alleged to have wrongfully continued to use the claimant’s trademark for a five year period following the expiration of a trademark license. 
• Currently representing closely-held Georgia limited liability company suing a multi-billion dollar corporation, alleging breach of contract and trade secret misappropriation related to pharmacy audit services.

• Favorably settled a trademark infringement and deceptive trade practices act claims brought by a restaurant claiming that our client’s beverage product infringed upon the plaintiff’s registered trademark.

• Favorably settled multiple cases with payments to clients that that were sued for trademark infringement when the businesses split. Recent examples include a “mom and pop” crane rental business and the U.S. arm of a global smart lighting company.
• Manage intellectual property concerns for national and multinational aerial, digger derrick, crane, tree care and utility products equipment manufacturer.
• Have obtained numerous trademarks and copyrights for various clients and handled petitions before the Trademark Trial and Appeals Board.
• Defended manufacturer of blank guns in trade dress infringement suit by one of the largest firearm manufacturers in the world.
• Favorably settled a case involving a national travel agency in litigation arising from the use of the corporate trade name.
• Prevailed in numerous domain name disputes before the Arbitration Forum under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (“UDRP”).
• Favorably prosecuted and settled a copyright infringement claim for a photographer against a multi-million dollar corporation.
• Successfully represented well-known authors and prevailed in copyright disputes.
• Successfully handled a variety of disputes relating to trademark and trade secret issues as well as the licensing of intellectual property.