Fenwick Recognized Among Nation’s Leading Firms for Trademark Prosecution and Litigation
Fenwick & West and several of the firm’s partners who focus on trademark prosecution and litigation once again received top rankings in the 2020 edition of World Trademark Review 1000, including three new gold tier rankings. These accolades come on the heels of Fenwick earning recognition as the U.S. Trademark Prosecution Firm of the Year at World Trademark Review and Intellectual Asset Management’s Global IP Awards.
In its latest WTR 1000 guide, WTR recognized the firm for the tenth consecutive year, honoring Fenwick both regionally and nationally for outstanding trademark work. The publication awarded Fenwick its highest possible recognition, ranking the firm in the gold tier nationally, alongside just 10 other firms. WTR 1000 also ranked trademark partners Sally Abel, Connie Ellerbach and Karen Webb nationally in prosecution and strategy, and partners Andrew Bridges, Jedediah Wakefield and Karen Webb nationally for enforcement and litigation.
The firm also earned recognition in California, ranking in the gold tier for both prosecution and litigation. Just two other firms earned this honor in 2020.
“For fast-moving technology and life sciences companies, Fenwick & West is a match made in heaven; at a granular level, it understands the markets in which its clients operate and therefore dispenses precisely tailored advice every time,” WTR 1000 wrote in its profile of the firm. “One of the most striking things about the firm is its propensity to innovate and reshape the practice of trademark law; its custom trademark extranet – just one of several self-developed tools enhancing efficiency and transparency – enables patrons to seamlessly manage and police their brands and to see the progress of their files and matters in real time.”
WTR 1000 recognized the following Fenwick partners individually:
Sally Abel: The publication lists trademark group founder Sally Abel among the top 13 trademark lawyers in the United States. She again receives two gold tier rankings for prosecution: in California and nationally. WTR 1000 has honored her among the nation’s top trademark lawyers for ten consecutive years, each year since the guide’s inception. “‘There’s nothing she hasn’t seen or done in the practice – she’s a total rock star,’” WTR noted, citing client and market feedback. “Abel ‘comes up with creative ideas to resolve difficult disputes.’”
Eric Ball: Partner Eric Ball appears on WTR 1000’s list of leading trademark litigators for the fourth consecutive year. “Ball handles a huge volume of cases but never gets bogged down,” WTR reported. “He is superb at giving robust, practical advice that nips problems in the bud.” Ball also received high praise from WTR 1000 in past years and was noted as “highly recommended” and “a bright lawyer who is really switched on to market developments.”
Andrew Bridges: WTR 1000 ranks partner Andrew Bridges among the United States’ 17 best trademark litigators, again recognizing his enforcement and litigation work in the gold tier nationally. He also continues to receive top recognition in California where he is one of just 10 lawyers recognized as gold tier for enforcement and litigation, along with Fenwick trademark litigation chair Jedediah Wakefield and partner Karen Webb. “Bridges is a discerning choice for technology-intensive disputes and is a tactical fighter with a fine-tuned understanding of new branding models – and the risks associated therewith – prompted by technology developments,” WTR noted.
Connie Ellerbach: For the tenth year in a row, WTR 1000 recognizes trademark chair Connie Ellerbach among the top lawyers for prosecution and strategy work. She ranks among the top tiers nationally and in the gold tier in California. Ellerbach’s “litigation background and understanding of human nature gives her an edge in complex prosecution and as a counsellor,” WTR reported, also praising her creativity and ability to resolve challenging disputes.
Jedediah Wakefield: Chair of both the firmwide litigation group and Fenwick’s trademark litigation practice, Jed Wakefield ranks in the gold tier for trademark litigation, both in California and nationally. “Wakefield is comfortable taking cases through jury trial and carries before him a reputation that creates opportunities to resolve cases out of court; opposing counsel know his depth of experience and ability to read juries,” WTR reported in its latest guide.
Karen Webb: This year, WTR 1000 honored partner Karen Webb among the top 10 California lawyers for prosecution and strategy work, also recognizing her in the top tiers nationally. Webb also again ranks among California’s 10 best lawyers for trademark enforcement and litigation. Highlighting Fenwick’s innovation in the practice of trademark law, WTR wrote that, “Credit must go to process innovation guru Karen Webb for giving the practice such strong technical underpinnings. Webb partners closely with brand owners – they feel like she is sitting in the cubicle next to them so they can pop over and benefit from her excellent strategic read on a matter instantaneously. Testament to the level of trust placed in her, and to the value of her counsel, she is fielding an ever-increasing volume of non-trademark-related questions.”
World Trademark Review 1000 – The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals is an annual guide published by World Trademark Review honoring the top law firms and lawyers working on trademark prosecution and enforcement matters. In compiling the rankings, WTR 1000 researchers consider information provided from law firms on their work over the past year, insight from other legal professionals and client input. More information on the methodology behind WTR 1000 is available through the World Trademark Review website. Also see the full United States and California rankings.