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Articles by Douglas Rettew
How I Made Practice Group Chair: 'Listen as Much as You Speak,' Says Doug Rettew of Finnegan
I’ve long been drawn to branding, advertising, and the psychology that drives consumer behavior. At the same time, I entered law school with the goal of becoming a courtroom advocate (yet knowing little of IP law then). Trademark and related litigation proved to be the ideal intersection of those interests. The work blends legal doctrine with psychology, statistics (for the surveys that often appear in our cases), linguistics, and a nuanced understanding of how various businesses operate.
'Call Your Next Witness': Some Recent Trademark Cases That Went The Distance
It is the rare civil case that goes all the way to trial, let alone in the trademark world. Of the approximately 260,660 federal civil cases filed each year — 3,120 of which are trademark litigations (or 1.2%) — only 0.8% reach trial.1 Looking just at the subset of trademark cases, only 0.9% go the distance. That's .0010% of all civil actions.
'Call your next witness': Some recent trademark cases that went the distance
(September 27, 2023) - Finnegan attorney Chip Rettew provides the details of three trademark disputes that went before a jury, an abnormal practice for litigants who usually resolve disputes "on the papers." It is the rare civil case that goes all the way to trial, let alone in the trademark world.
What 11th Circ. Guitar Ruling Means For Copyright Litigants
From the world of heavy metal rock-and-roll comes an important lesson for both putative copyright owners and accused infringers. If the accused infringer believes that the putative owner does not actually own the rights in the asserted copyright, it must speak up and repudiate ownership. Once that happens, the accuser must act within three years. If it doesn't, its claim is barred.
"Success in this field is not for the faint hearted. But it is worth it"
What does leadership in the IP law field look like to you? Good leaders in our field must establish their devotion to the profession in various ways. First, they should speak, write and educate the younger generation of professionals coming up the ladder. Here, mentoring is critical. Leaders must provide thorough, constant feedback and give younger professionals hands-on experience with increased and greater opportunities as they develop.
Douglas (Chip) Rettew
What does leadership in the IP law field look like to you? Good leaders in our field must establish their devotion to the profession in various ways. First, they should speak, write and educate the younger generation of professionals coming up the ladder. Here, mentoring is critical. Leaders must provide thorough, constant feedback and give younger professionals hands-on experience with increased and greater opportunities as they develop.
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