Kristen Mollnow Walsh

What do you focus on?

I focus on helping clients to develop, protect and manage distinctive brands to drive their businesses forward. I counsel clients on the selection of new marks, create and implement filing strategies to protect marks both within the United States and abroad and strategically manage worldwide trademark portfolios. I also assist clients with obtaining copyright registrations and advise routinely on Internet and social media-related IP issues.

I help clients strategically enforce their trademark and copyright rights including, for example, through direct contact with infringers, by implementing brand-specific Internet enforcement programs and by invoking the DMCA take-down provisions. I have extensive experience with domain name enforcement proceedings under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy and represent clients in contested proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.

I do a significant amount of trademark clearance, prosecution and enforcement work for clients in the beverage alcohol and food industries. I actively work with other members of the firm’s Food, Beverage and Agriculture industry team to provide comprehensive legal services to businesses in these industry sectors.

What do you see on the horizon?

With the increasing globalization of our economy and the increasing connectedness of consumers around the world, having a strong, distinctive, well-protected brand will become essential for any company wanting to effectively compete on the global stage.

Publications

• Coauthored a chapter on U.S. trademark law in The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Trade Marks 2012, published by Global Legal Group Ltd, London.