Naresh Kilaru

Associate

Naresh Kilaru focuses his practice on trademark, unfair competition, copyright, entertainment, and right-of-publicity law. He has extensive experience in all aspects of trademark and unfair competition litigation, including cases involving traditional trademarks, product packaging and product configuration trade dress, false advertising, counterfeiting, gray-market goods, and domain names. Mr. Kilaru is also involved in domestic and international trademark prosecution. He counsels clients on brand protection and enforcement strategies in the United States and around the world.

Mr. Kilaru's broad experience in U.S. district court and appellate litigation includes handling oral arguments, conducting mock trials, taking and defending depositions, coordinating expert discovery, overseeing the design and implementation of trademark surveys, participating in hearings and judicial conferences, negotiating settlements, and representing clients in mediations. In addition, he has authored numerous briefs and motions on a wide range of issues, including motions for and against temporary restraining orders, ex parte seizures, asset freezes, expedited and ex parte discovery, preliminary injunctive relief, summary judgment, and appeals. Mr. Kilaru has also litigated numerous cases at the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Highlights

• Pucci International, Ltd. v. Emilio Pucci International B.V. (TTAB). Successfully represented fashion house Emilio Pucci in litigation against company attempting to register a similar name at the USPTO.
• Pro bono activities include giving regular presentations on trademark and copyright law to local small business owners and artists for the Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts, as well as representing political asylum seekers through Human Rights First.
• Previously served as in-house counsel at Turner Broadcasting System and advised internal business clients on all aspects of copyright and entertainment law, including clearances of rights, content agreements, production agreements, distribution agreements, transactional issues, and due diligence, 2005-2006.
• Served as a writing fellow and was an active member of The George Washington University International Law Review and the Moot Court Board while in law school, 2000-2002.
• Serves on the Editorial Board of Landslide magazine (the American Bar Association’s bimonthly publication on intellectual property law), 2011-present.

Professional Activities

• American Bar Association (Section on Intellectual Property Law, Trademarks & Unfair Competition Committee; Forum Committee on the Entertainment and Sports Industries)
• Intellectual Property Owners Association (Counterfeiting and Piracy Committee)
• Coalition Against Counterfeiting and Piracy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• U.S. Council for International Business (Intellectual Property Committee)
• International Trademark Association
• American Intellectual Property Law Association
• District of Columbia Bar Association (Section on Intellectual Property Law)
• Asian Pacific American Bar Association
• South Asian Bar Association

Select Publications

• "The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement Finalized Amid Controversy," IP Litigator, March/April 2011.
• 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. "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.
• "Best Kept Secret: Are Dilution Claims Based on "Blurring" Still Viable?," Trademark World, July/Aug. 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.
• "Class Action Copyright Infringement Suits Limited to Owners of Registered Copyrights," Journal of Intellectual Property Law & Practice, April 2008.
• Coauthor. "United States Talks Tough on Counterfeiting," IP Litigator, Jan./Feb. 2008.