Caroline H. Mankey
USA - California
Akerman LLP
601 West Fifth Street
Suite 300
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Tel: +1 213 533 5949
Email:
caroline.mankey@akerman.com
Web:
www.akerman.com
Caroline is a seasoned trial lawyer representing clients in the entertainment, arts, fashion, retail, and technology sectors, such as motion picture studios and production companies, major media companies, film libraries, actors, comedians, television personalities, musicians, artists, jewelry designers, retailers, manufacturers, architects, market research firms, and others, in disputes involving copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, design patents, defamation, licensing and other contract rights, rights of publicity, business interference, and partnership disputes.
For more than twenty years, Caroline has successfully first chaired numerous trials and arbitrations and has prevailed on dispositive motions at the trial level and on appeals before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the California Court of Appeal. Caroline’s very first trial experience as a young lawyer was protecting the rights of The Three Stooges in a case in which the California Supreme Court published what has become seminal right of publicity jurisprudence. In addition to her extensive trial experience, Caroline’s clients value her ability to achieve efficient, effective, and economical solutions to every legal challenge.
Notable Work:
Trial: First-chaired and won a $1 million+ judgment on behalf of the founder of a renowned rock band in a jury trial for misappropriation of her client’s statutory and common law publicity rights arising out of the unauthorized use of photographs in a national print advertising campaign for athletic shoes.
Trial: First-chaired and won trial of a multi-party partnership dispute and secured a $10 million+ judgment for her client.
Trial: Tried and won a two-month-long jury trial against a major film and television production company for breach of an intellectual property license concerning the rights to manufacture and distribute electronic toys.
Appeal: Argued and prevailed before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in defense of Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s bus system, concluding more than 10 years of contentious, high-profile litigation.
Intellectual property is often a company’s most valuable asset and failure to protect this vital investment can have devastating consequences. Developing and managing an intellectual property portfolio is the cornerstone of a successful business strategy.
From pharmaceuticals and medical devices, to computer software and technology, to fashion and music, Akerman’s Intellectual Property Practice Group serves clients in all aspects of intellectual property counseling, litigation, licensing, transactions, and due diligence. Our team includes lawyers and patent agents with advanced technical degrees and business experience in disciplines such as electrical engineering, computer science, chemistry, and molecular biology. Our scientific and business backgrounds, coupled with experience gained from past service in the United States Patent & Trademark office, enable us to provide practical strategies for protecting intellectual property value.
We build longstanding relationships with our clients, gaining a deep understanding of their business operations so we can successfully manage, protect, and maximize the value of their intellectual property assets. When disputes arise, we effectively handle all aspects of the litigation, including resolving patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, and related contract and antitrust disputes.
Our lawyers serve as business advisors to our clients, providing critical counsel on transactions involving intellectual property. We negotiate licensing and distribution agreements and intellectual property acquisition documents, providing the necessary due diligence to assess the validity and enforceability of intellectual property rights and freedom to operate. We also provide clients with customized on-site training on brand management, policing, and enforcement of their intellectual property rights.
Our more than 700 lawyers and business professionals collaborate with the world’s most successful enterprises and entrepreneurs to navigate change, seize opportunities, and help drive innovation and growth.
We are known for our results in middle market M&A and complex disputes, and for helping our clients achieve their most important business objectives in the financial services, real estate, and other dynamic sectors across the United States and Latin America.