“I see my job as helping clients achieve their goals. I assist them with assessing risk so that they can make informed decisions and I develop strategies for selecting and protecting their brands. It’s easy – and often safest – to tell a client ‘No, you can’t do that,’ but I work to find strategies to accomplish their goals and minimize their risk.”
John P. Margiotta
“The part of my job that I like best is becoming familiar with the businesses that I represent, learning what the business objectives are, the risk tolerance and budgets, and tailoring my advice so that each client has the program and strategy that works best for its needs. I have more than twenty years’ experience working with clients to maximize the effectiveness of their IP strategies.”
David A. Donahue
“Before joining Fross Zelnick, I handled general commercial litigation at a multinational firm and clerked for two federal judges, so I know the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure as well as I know the U.S. Trademark and Copyright Acts. That comes in very handy at the bargaining table and in the courtroom.”
Charles T.J. Weigell, III
“Clients often come to me with a new technology or they want to protect a discrete component or aspect of a product but aren’t sure of the best way to do it. It could be designs for handbags, shoes, and packaging or it could be computer icons, the layout of computer graphics, or user interfaces. They don’t know whether they should seek a trademark, a copyright, or a design patent and, in many cases, the answer may be all three.”
Barbara A. Solomon
“I consider myself a counselor, not a litigator. My job is not to jump into litigation but to listen to my client, understand its concerns, and work with the client to find the best way of achieving its goals. When litigation can’t be avoided or if it is the best option, you pursue it. But the focus must not be on my title as a litigator – it must be on achieving the client’s ultimate goal and finding the best way to get there, taking the client’s business and financial interests into account. The best way often is not the most expensive or the most aggressive.”
Ashford Tucker
“Our firm has deep collective knowledge of brands and soft IP, and we excel at working together. Often we can answer complex questions effectively without significant time spent on research or discussions with foreign counsel. If you have a complex issue involving your brand, it’s worth asking us if we’ve seen it before.”
Craig S. Mende
“One of the nicest things a client said about me was that I am ‘very commercial.’ By that she meant ‘practical.’ The client knows I have the technical knowledge, but she especially appreciates that I can give her an answer that directly addresses her company’s immediate needs and takes into account its long-term business strategy.”
Leo Kittay
“The goal? Give clients the best and clearest advice possible. Whether it’s an iconic brand or a startup on the rise, I balance present-day realities with long-term aspirations and, above all, treat each brand like it’s my own.”
Jason D. Jones
“Over the years, I have represented clients on all sides of intellectual property matters – sometimes I act on behalf of the plaintiff while other times I represent the defendant. Knowing what’s important to both sides enables me to better craft creative litigation strategies that can lead to a negotiated resolution or a successful litigation outcome.”
James D. Weinberger
“I love helping clients solve their IP problems by looking at the commercial perspective. There’s sometimes a tendency to ‘silo’ our work, as though there were a strict division between copyright protection and trademark protection. But that’s not how the world works and how creative, intangible property appears in the marketplace. Seeing the big picture helps me work to craft practical, commercially viable solutions that clients want and need.”