Joseph R. Dreitler

In my first week as a lawyer the guy who handled trademarks and copyrights at U.S. Shoe left. I was given responsibility for trademarks but knew nothing about them. I bought a treatise on trademarks and read it cover to cover. 3 times. I was hooked on helping marketing and advertising people develop new trademarks, ad campaigns, review ads and build a new business or revitalize an old one. Day to day working with business clients on how to protect and defend trademarks was fun. And I got paid for it.

When Procter & Gamble needed a trademark lawyer I went to the big leagues. Working with the smartest and most creative marketing people in the world was incredible. Learning how trademarks and brands intersect and how to market was amazing. I loved counseling business clients on how to clear, create and defend a new trademark, or buy a business with existing trademarks and learn how to revitalize the brand (think Metamucil®). Working on a campaign and seeing a trademark you created and registered become a TV jingle that everyone still knows (Go ahead, hum “The Best Part of Wakin’ Up Is Folgers In Your Cup”) is heady stuff.

I spent several years in St. Louis at Anheuser-Busch, protecting the Budweiser trademark and trying to expand the brand globally. It was interesting working on deals with other brewers in Europe, Asia and Latin America, but there was the thorny issue of the 100 year old trademark dispute with Czech Budweiser Budvar in 70+ countries. While I saw a lot of the world, it just wasn’t possible to settle a century old trademark dispute.

I went into private practice 16 years ago and used everything learned at great companies to help my clients. I was a partner at a wonderful global law firm, Jones Day. But having a boutique IP firm means I can enjoy working with lots of different sized clients. Some of them need advice on clearing and creating a trademark, others on buying trademarks and others need litigation help protecting or defending trademarks (and copyrights). A trade magazine wrote an article a few years ago saying that I was “passionate about trademarks”. I can honestly say that after 30 years I am still passionate about what I do.

Joseph R. Dreitler

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Mary R. True

“We have relied on Mary True for a number of years to help us create new brands and grow existing brands. Not only is she a pleasure to work with, but her trademark expertise is invaluable, ensuring that our brands are legally viable and more importantly that our clients are happy.”

Jon Shapiro, President, Chief Creative, Coho Creative

From Britney Spears to Brutus Buckeye, from Kate Spade to Current TV, I have worked with a wide variety of clients and their brands over the past twenty-plus years of practicing law, and I have enjoyed the unique challenges of each. My focus has always been on listening to my clients and helping them develop strategies to create value in their intellectual property, and to protect and enforce it in a way that is consistent with their business objectives.

I especially enjoy working with small clients and start-ups. The inception and early years of a company, or the introduction of a new product or business line, are crucial times in a company’s life, and are filled with both pitfalls and tremendous opportunities. For these companies, their intellectual property is frequently their biggest asset. As with any other asset, investment is required to develop and enhance its value, and it is very satisfying to know that I have helped a client make smart investments in the development of their intellectual property.

My other passion is brand protection and enforcement. All companies run into infringement or enforcement issues at some point, especially if their brands have become successful. Unfortunately many IP lawyers are either uncomfortable with the enforcement side of the practice, or are all too eager to turn on the litigation machine and let it run. Just as with counseling, smart enforcement requires strategy, skill and business sense, and I don’t forget that regardless of which hat I’m wearing.