Whether you find yourself at a runway show at New York's Fashion Week, an office tower on Wall Street or simply enjoying a quiet night of television, chances are you're being exposed to the high-profile brands that Monica Richman has spent a career protecting. Monica has created a leading practice providing intellectual property counsel to clients who include many of the world's biggest names in consumer products, entertainment, fashion and financial services.

Monica's background includes a bachelor's degree with honors from undergraduate business school and more than seven years of training in her family business, which included more than 20 retail stores and a significant wholesale operation. She offers her clients a thorough understanding of running a business and offers practical, cost-effective solutions.

From the 2016 World Trademark Review 100:

"Clients line up around the block to praise queen of fashion branding Monica Richman … 'Simply put, Richman is the best. She is exactly what you look for in outside counsel: smart, diligent, warm (but tough when necessary), and conscious of business realities. She develops clever, robust strategies that protect intellectual property while saving on costs. Her advice is never over the top or billing focused; she is 100% client-centric."

Transactions

From counseling to negotiation to drafting, Monica regularly advises on a wide variety of transactional matters, including license, agency, distribution, sponsorship, endorsement, strategic alliance, marketing, procurement and manufacturing agreements.

• For one of the industry's most prominent shoe manufacturers, serves as outside general counsel. Projects include negotiating licenses to develop new footwear lines available at Bloomingdales, Saks, and other premier outlets, negotiating agency and manufacturing contracts and addressing infringement matters.
• For a leading interior designer, develops and negotiates various license, agency, publishing, endorsement and distribution agreements to expand brand across various categories.
• For global entertainment and fashion companies, drafts and negotiates license, distribution, sponsorship, marketing, agency and IP asset purchase agreements.

Strategic intellectual property management

Monica provides comprehensive counseling covering her clients' entire IP portfolios, including brand conception and enforcement, trademark portfolio development and management, copyright protection and monetization, and domain name strategy and protection.

• For a family of cable networks that reach 300+ million people worldwide, Monica provides counseling, conducts opposition and cancellation proceedings, addresses copyright and trademark disputes, and manages its worldwide trademark portfolio.
• For a global media company, provides strategic advice and management of IP assets for operations that include hundreds of live events, websites and publications and addresses IP disputes. Monica conducted an audit and due diligence of trademark portfolio as part of new client intake.
• For a high fashion company, developed worldwide trademark portfolio and implemented design protection strategy using copyright, trademark and patent filings, recovered damages for third party copyright infringement of patterns, and continues to address all IP matters. This representation has been ongoing for over a decade.
• For leading fiber nonprofit organization, created an aggressive trademark expansion and protection program worldwide including opposition and cancellations proceedings in countries such as Pakistan, India and Iran and presented IP strategic plan to board of directors. This representation has been ongoing for over a decade.
• For a global investment bank, managed the expansion of a trademark portfolio from fewer than 20 marks with limited geographic scope to 150 marks in 50 countries, conducts clearance review, general counseling, and addresses trademark infringement matters. This representation has been on-going for over a decade.

Due diligence

Monica conducts due diligence on copyright, domain name and trademark assets in connection with mergers and acquisitions, asset sales and other transactions.

• For a leading investment bank, conducted due diligence and trademark negotiations in connection with the US$770 million sale of a Las Vegas casino.
• For a leading software and consulting company, conducted trademark, domain name and copyright due diligence in connection with significant asset purchases. This representation has been ongoing for over a decade.

Litigation and disputes

Experienced before federal, state and agency courts, Monica represents clients in litigation, domain-name disputes and other adversarial proceedings.

• For one of the country's largest talent agencies, secured a permanent injunction in litigation pursued before both the Central District of California and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.
• For a Big Four accounting firm, secured a permanent injunction for trademark and domain name infringement in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
• Recovered numerous domain names via the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy, including when an infringer registered domain name before brand created.