Kelly L. Williams, Of Counsel

Kelly Williams assists clients with trademark clearance, prosecution, maintenance, enforcement, and brand and marketing strategy, development and execution. She provides well-reasoned advice and practical recommendations on critical business decisions and risk mitigation strategies. She works with clients in a variety of industries including clothing and footwear, mobile applications, and the food and beverage sector as well as retail services and other service sectors.

Her experience includes:

Trademark Protection

• Providing strategic management and budgeting advice for domestic and foreign trademark portfolios on behalf of U.S. and foreign clients.
• Conducting trademark clearance searches of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and foreign trademark office databases and preparing availability opinions.
• Preparing, filing and prosecuting U.S. trademark applications through to registration, and attending to post-registration maintenance.
• Assisting clients with trademark enforcement strategies, including infringement investigations, drafting cease and desist letters and settlement negotiations, as well as opposition and cancellation proceedings.

Marketing and Branding

• Advising clients in development and execution of global brand campaigns, including review of concept/creative materials and 3^rd party rights clearance to ensure proper use of trademark assets, other IP rights and 3^rd party rights.
• Negotiating and drafting of a variety of commercial agreements, including licensing agreements, IP development agreements, marketing and promotion agency agreements, endorsement and photo/video production agreements.
• Advising on 3^rd party rights management, including photographer, talent, music and other 3^rd party rights agreements, rights of publicity and consumer privacy issues.
• Providing legal support related to drafting of sweepstakes rules and campaign administration.
• Drafting of customer rewards program and providing legal support to business unit in implementation.

Admitted in Maryland, Connecticut and Wisconsin.