Warshaw Burstein Expands Copyright and Trademark Law Group, Brings in Patent Expertise to Build on Firm’s Intellectual Property Capabilities
10/26/2020Warshaw Burstein, LLP, a full-service law firm in New York City, today announced that it has expanded its Copyright and Trademark Law Group, and incorporated extensive patent capabilities to round out its full-service intellectual property practice.
New members of the practice group include: Kristin G. Garris, counsel, and John Laurence, of counsel and patent attorney. They will join practice lead William R. Samuels and partner Marc A. Lavaia in offering intellectual property services and advising clients on protecting, enforcing and leveraging intellectual property, while tailoring strategies and protection plans to achieve each client’s goals and business objectives. Mr. Laurence remains owner of John C. Laurence Law, PLLC.
“Working with efficiency and effectiveness in mind, the Intellectual Property Law Group regularly collaborates with clients to secure domestic and international trademark, copyright and patent protections, enforce and defend clients’ rights, and advise on commercializing clients’ intellectual property,” Frederick R. Cummings, Jr., Managing Partner of Warshaw Burstein, said. “Kristin and John are each talented attorneys with complementary expertise, rounding out an exceptional team with a background in brand development, management and consumer-facing IP issues.”
“We are proud to be in a position to continue to build our firm, despite the challenging environment,” Mr. Cummings continued. “I welcome Kristin and John to Warshaw Burstein.”
Formerly, Ms. Garris served as counsel at Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLP. She advises clients on a wide range of intellectual property issues, including IP ownership and protection, trademark enforcement and litigation, branding procedures and management, copyright protection, licensing, domain names, privacy policies and website terms of use, IP-related risk management, IP due diligence, data privacy regulations, and much more. She also has significant experience with opposition and cancellation proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. In addition, Ms. Garris is skilled in representing clients with domain name disputes before the World Intellectual Property Organization’s Arbitration and Mediation Center, as well as a broad range of other Internet-related disputes and trademark and copyright enforcements in connection with social media.
With 12 years of experience in intellectual property, Ms. Garris is adept in representing clients with trademark and copyright litigation, design and implementation of comprehensive enforcement programs, clearance and portfolio management, registration strategies, and intellectual property due diligence in corporate transactions. Focused on finding sensible business solutions to legal problems, Ms. Garris has assisted clients by negotiating and drafting intellectual property licenses, settlement and coexistence agreements, asset purchase agreements, and other commercial agreements. She has extensive experience representing clients across a variety of industries, including: retail; consumer goods; food and beverage; fashion and luxury goods; financial services and wealth management; hospitality and travel; technology and software; arts, entertainment and media; and manufacturing.
Ms. Garris received her Bachelor of Arts from Davidson College, an M.A. from the University of Virginia, and her Juris Doctor from Wake Forest University School of Law.
Most recently, Mr. Laurence was the owner of John C. Laurence Law, PLLC. He has prosecuted patents in various technologies including software, computer hardware and memory, circuit design, networking, wireless systems, video processing, financial instruments, business methods and Internet technologies.
His practical background as a computer and electrical engineer provides a strong framework for understanding the technical issues involved in the real-world process of creating intellectual property. As an attorney, he has substantial experience in developing and maintaining national and international intellectual property portfolios.
Mr. Laurence received his Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering with a minor in computer science from the Polytechnic Institute of New York University where has was a member of the Tau Beta Pi and Eta Kappa Nu electrical and computer engineering honor societies. John earned his Juris Doctor from New York Law School and is an LLM candidate in intellectual property at Fordham University School of Law.
Learn more about Warshaw Burstein's Intellectual Property practice.
