The WTR 1000 focuses exclusively on trademark practice and has firmly established itself as the definitive 'go-to' resource for those seeking world-class legal trademark expertise.
Bronze - Firms: prosecution and strategy
IP boutique Pranger has carved out a superb reputation as an alternative to big law outfits – one which focuses on quality, offers hands-on and tailored support and which strives to build close and longstanding relationships with its clientele. It gets glowing feedback from the market: “The firm can be recommended without hesitation to any company seeking a strategic partner capable of executing both day-to-day tasks and longer-term business and strategic plans. It is proactive, responsive, transparent, fair and easy to work with.” Another source comments, “Pranger assumed the role of trademark counsel for our company seamlessly and immediately provided an exponentially improved quality of work and service compared with our previous firm.” At the forefront of the practice is Holly Pranger, a “sharp, experienced, practical and strategic lawyer, who always thinks down range in terms of how management of legal issues impacts clients at the company level. She has extremely good communication skills and is a consummate professional with deep subject matter expertise and a business-friendly approach.” Gail Nevius Abbas is similarly recommended for her “skill in advising on trademarks within the context of clients’ wider business needs”. Her recent work includes advising Solera Holdings, for which she has resolved numerous disputes in multiple jurisdictions without the need for court intervention.
Pranger Law PC is a premier boutique, full-service, intellectual property and advertising law firm based in California. Initially established in 2004 as a trademark practice, Pranger has the registration and protection of brands in its DNA, and trademark prosecution and litigation services remain a strong draw for new clients. Pranger Law provides all aspects of US and global trademark services to well-known and famous brand owners, the hottest emerging growth companies, and famous artists worldwide.
Pranger manages trademark portfolios spanning over 120 countries and containing thousands of records. The firm also manages enforcement actions, from cease-and-desist letters to oppositions, cancellations and litigation of trademark rights and claims. Pranger lawyers are well versed in both prosecution and enforcement; we believe that knowing how to build and register strong brands best enables us to roundly enforce them, and vice versa.
Our lawyers and paralegals have experience working in big law firms, but we do not operate like one. Pranger utilises a lean staffing model in which the most experienced attorneys give every matter the attention it deserves. Most Pranger lawyers have over 20 years of experience, and they are directly involved with all aspects of our clients’ legal needs. We find this model, combined with our boutique concentration and competitive rates, enables us to give the best quality services and care to our clients.
Since inception, Pranger has continued to develop its trademark, trade dress, unfair competition and copyright litigation practice, which years ago expanded to include patent, trade secret and business litigation. With the more recent addition of patent prosecution, today Pranger Law is a full-service IP firm, and one of the few full-service IP firms in the world to be certified diverse and to have a woman managing partner.
Pranger has a history of representing some of the most significant disruptive companies, often from trademark filing number one, including Lyft (IPO), TaskRabbit (IKEA), BleacherReport (acquired TimeWarner), Dropcam (acquired Google Nest), Gala, Proof, KiwiCo, 15Five and Crunchbase, to name a few. Pranger’s work product regularly appears in due diligence packages for news-worthy rounds of investment and corporate acquisitions, and the firm has an impressive list of clients, past and present, with well-known or famous marks by Nike, Victoria’s Secret, Eventbrite, Reddit, BusinessWire, Sammy Hagar and Audatex/Solera. The firm also has extensive experience supporting global certification marks, such as Video Electronics Standards Association’s VESA certification marks, which appear on an array of specialised display electronics.
Practice areas
Trademark
Pranger clears, prosecutes and manages many thousands of trademarks worldwide, with client portfolios spanning over 120 countries. Enforcement actions range from take down demands and cease and desist letters to representing clients before US district courts and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, as well as managing equivalent matters with our local attorney colleagues in countries around the world.
Copyright
Pranger leverages the comprehensive protections of the US Copyright Act, including statutory damages and attorneys’ fees recovery provisions, to help clients protect rights in software, designs and other protectable works. Often, copyright is an underutilised arrow in an IP enforcement quiver. We regularly register and enforce copyrights and utilise cost-effective take downs and, when warranted, file lawsuits.
Patent
Pranger can prosecute US and global patent estates in nearly any technical field, and the firm’s litigation department leverages decades of patent litigation experience to enforce and defend clients’ rights in this area, including successful defences against non-practicing entities (aka patent trolls).
Litigation
The Pranger litigation team brings big firm training and experience to all IP litigation matters. In this arena, Pranger consistently impresses clients by providing high-quality services within a manageable litigation budget.
Advertising and promotions
Pranger has a rare specialty, offering all aspects of developing, registering and managing the legal requirements necessary to run sweepstakes, contests and consumer calls to action, including requests for user content, coupons, bounce backs and hackathons. In addition to supporting promotions, Pranger reviews and counsels on all aspects of advertising materials.
Jurisdiction