Professional history
I am an IP and privacy litigator, with over 11 years of litigation and trial experience extending to both state and federal courts.
What do you do?
I focus my practice on trademark counselling, enforcement and litigation; copyright counselling, enforcement, and high-stakes copyright litigation; unfair competition or false advertising counselling, and litigation; entertainment and media counselling and litigation; trade secret litigation; privacy or publicity counselling and litigation; and TCPA class action defence.
What drew you to your area of practice?
The areas I practice in have been rapidly evolving with changing and maturing technology. That changing landscape makes the practice diverse and exciting.
Career highlights?
I had the privilege of representing the estate of Michael Jackson in various lawsuits against and on behalf of the Estate, including obtaining an injunction in a trademark case that was affirmed by the Ninth Circuit. Since 2012, I’ve also been IP counsel to Ares Management, a publicly traded, leading global alternative asset manager with approximately US$112 billion of assets under management and approximately 1,005 employees. I manage and enforce Ares’ worldwide trademark and domain name portfolio, and offer advice and counselling regarding copyright and privacy matters. Other highlights have been working as pro bono counsel to Mona Foundation, a non-profit organisation that supports grassroots initiatives focused on education and raising the status of women and girls in the US and abroad; helping an activist from the Democratic Republic of Congo through asylum proceedings; two trials during two separate pregnancies . . .
Influences and mentors?
My professional mentors include those who are subject-matter experts, but also those who are just excellent lawyers with the highest level of integrity. And my father, also a lawyer, who showed me what it took to “do it all”.
What will data lawyers be advising on in 10 years?
If I knew that, I’d be in a different profession . . . Seriously though, I think much more of the same, though it will all be more built in to the infrastructure of business rather than being lawyer-driven as it is now.
What do you do to relax?
Yoga, beach, run, family time.