Mark Sommers

Partner

Mark Sommers practices exclusively in the areas of trademarks, domain names, dilution, unfair competition, and false advertising. Both domestically and internationally, Mr. Sommers provides a full range of services including litigation, counseling, clearance and infringement opinions, and licensing.

Mr. Sommers has litigated a broad range of trademark, unfair competition, domain name, name diversion, trade dress, and false advertising cases before the federal courts and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He has also orchestrated many international strategies concerning the acquisition of rights and the enforcement of those rights.

In representing the interests of many European and Asian companies, Mr. Sommers has gained an appreciation of foreign companies’ sensitivity to U.S. practice and procedure. He frequently presents to both U.S. and international audiences and has authored numerous articles about trademarks, domain names, trade dress, and unfair competition.

Professional Recognition

• Ranked among top 25 trademark experts in the world, by in-house counsel and peers in Legal Media Group's Guide to the World's Leading Lawyers—Best of the Best, 2009, 2011.
• Ranked among top D.C. trademark lawyers for contentious and non-contentious work by World Trademark Review 1000, 2011.
• Ranked among top 15 trademark experts in the world, by in-house counsel and peers in Legal Media Group's Guide to the World's Leading Trademark Law Practitioners, 2010.
• Consistently recognized by The Legal 500 U.S. for trademark litigation work since 2007.
• Ranked among top U.S. trademark lawyers in Legal Media Group's Guide to the World's Leading Trademark Law Practitioners, 2006, 2008.
• Ranked among top 25 trademark experts in the USA, by in-house counsel and peers in Legal Media Group's Expert Guide to the Leading U.S. Lawyers—Best of the Best USA, 2007.
• Consistently listed in The International Who's Who of Trademark Lawyers since 2004.

Select Publications

• Coauthor. "New Directions for Laches Defence," World Trademark Review, Aug./Sept. 2009.
• Coauthor. "'Material Differences' Outside the Gray Market Context," IP Litigator, July/Aug. 2009.
• Coauthor. "Branding Taiwan - U.S. Trademark Tips for Companies in Taiwan," Digitimes, April 2009.
• Coauthor. "Disposal of Counterfeit Goods Requires Final Judgment and Adequate Notice," IP Litigator, March/April 2009.
• Coauthor. "Ninth Circuit Clarifies Scope of Civil Penalty Provisions for Importation of Counterfeit Products," IP Litigator, Jan./Feb. 2009.
• Coauthor. "Insurance Policy Endorsement Clause Read Narrowly in Rock Band Name Dispute," Journal of Intellectual Property Law and Practice, Dec. 19, 2008.
• Coauthor. "Major Anti-Counterfeiting Legislation Passed in US House of Representatives," IP Litigator, July/Aug. 2008.
• Coauthor. "A New Dilemma for Plaintiffs in Counterfeiting Actions: Statutory Damages vs. Attorney Fees," IP Litigator, May/June 2008.
• Coauthor. "United States Talks Tough on Counterfeiting," IP Litigator, Jan./Feb. 2008.
• "Progress Report on Federal Legislation to Toughen Counterfeiting Provisions," IP Litigator, May/June 2005.
• Coauthor. "Managing Counterfeiting In China," IP Litigator, March 2004.
• Coauthor. "Internet Auction Sites: Is Immunity from Infringement Claims Going… Going… Gone?" IP Litigator, June/July 2001.
• Coauthor. "Counterfeits in the Internet Age," IP Litigator, April 2001.