Morrison & Foerster LLP

Bronze - Firms: enforcement and litigation

Bronze - Firms: prosecution and strategy

Newly added to the WTR 1000 California rankings for 2023, Morrison & Foerster should not be overlooked by in-house counsel seeking global filing, prosecution and portfolio management support, strategic advisory services or representation in complex litigation and enforcement scenarios. The firm does it all and does it all with great proficiency, acting for diverse clients across a broad spectrum of industries. Co-chairing the practice are San Francisco partners Jennifer Lee Taylor and Joyce Liou, who link up to serve as global trademark counsel for McCormick & Company, one of the world’s leading food manufacturers with a portfolio of many well-known brands spanning 160-plus countries. In recent years, in addition to handling many filings, they have supported McCormick through several major acquisitions requiring extensive due diligence. Both partners have their own patrons, too: Taylor acts for data analytics software leader Splunk and takes care of the company’s valuable worldwide portfolio; she also serves as the lead partner for Dyson Technology, which has instructed MoFo as its sole US trademark counsel for 15 or so years; the Museum of Modern Art and THX are other long-term clients of hers. Liou was recently retained as US trademark counsel by a leading pharmaceutical company, while on the litigation side she has lately led the defence of F5 Networks in a trademark and copyright infringement claim filed by Lynwood Investments, which she succeeded in having dismissed, forcing Lynwood to amend its complaint at the discretion of the court; at the time of writing, a decision on dismissal of the amended complaint is awaited. According to sources, “Joyce has a tremendous knowledge of all aspects of trademark law and is always able to find creative solutions that work from a business perspective. She is quick but thorough, great on risk analysis, clear in explaining complex concepts and practical.” The team at premier litigation boutique Durie Tangrie joined Morrison Foerster’s international practice in January 2023. At the forefront of the practice is Joseph Gratz, who is enthusiastically endorsed by patrons, including technology industry leaders. “Joe is a brilliant lawyer for cases – including those between large companies and smaller disputes with individual plaintiffs – which are at the cutting edge in terms of the application of trademark law to new technology. He understands the technology deeply and offers practical, workable advice; he is also one of the few writers out there whose briefs rarely require revision or further comment. He is gifted in teaching the law to the court in a way that is detailed and precise but also approachable." Joining Gratz in the rankings for the first time this year, is rising star Allyson Bennett, who had a huge impact in securing a jury trial win for Redbubble in a trademark and copyright infringement suit brought by Atari Interactive, in which the outcome of non-infringement was hugely significant with respect to the operation of online marketplaces.