For more than 20 years, Michael R. Graham has provided clients with wide-ranging counsel to advance and protect their trademark, copyright and other commercial and creative intellectual property rights.  He works closely with each client to maximize the value of their assets and applies his knowledge in forward-thinking ways, as in his early recognition of opportunities to commercialize and protect trademarks and copyrighted materials on the Internet.  Awarded a Martindale-Hubbell® AV Peer Review Rating™ and as a Leading Lawyer of 2009, Mr. Graham helps clients establish programs and strategies to establish and protect core business assets, and ensure and enforce his clients’ rights.

LAWCAST Pod cast

Recent Client Work

  • Successfully counseled clients in market and media research, consumer products, apparel and pharmaceutical industries on selection, development and registration of trademarks.
  • Guided market and media-research giant in rebranding program to capitalize on intellectual property assets; assisting them in gaining and protecting world-wide recognition and credibility for their brand.
  • Regularly alert clients to changes and conflicts relating to trademarks and domain names:  negotiated effective licenses and other agreements to commercialize and expand their rights.
  • Guided marine equipment and software company in developing hybrid open source and commercial use software licensing program.
  • Conducted successful inter partes and litigation procedures to assert and defend trademark rights.

Detailed Biography

Representative Experience

Mr. Graham has successfully handled IP matters for individuals, corporations, and associations in a wide range of industries, including:

  • Consumer products, apparel, and electronic products
  • Pharmaceutical products
  • Internet content providers and software developers
  • Printing processes and equipment
  • Artists, architects and designers
  • Entertainment and media, including artists, musicians, writers and publishers
  • Market and media research services

Background and Credentials

Mr. Graham focuses his practice on trademarks, copyrights, cyberlaw, licensing and intellectual property transactions and litigation.  He provides clients with counseling related to all phases of trademark, trade name, domain name, copyright clearance, registration and protection.

WTR 1000He has extensive experience negotiating and preparing intellectual property and software licenses, assignments and other agreements, as well as assisting clients in developing trademark and copyright use and protection programs.

With respect to the Internet, Mr. Graham has successfully aided clients in protecting their rights in trademarks, copyrighted works, and agreements; and guided clients through Internet domain name disputes under ICANN's Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy.  He has been one of the leading innovators in this area and remains so through his involvement in the International Trademark Association (INTA)’s Internet Committee.

Mr. Graham has also litigated trademark opposition and cancellation proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and has litigated trademark, copyright and unfair competition cases before U.S. District Courts.

He regularly educates legal staff, marketing departments, and other employees on intellectual property issues and is a frequent speaker.  He has written numerous articles and presentations on trademark, Internet, and copyright law.

Mr. Graham was awarded a Martindale-Hubbell® AV Peer Review Rating™, has been selected by the Chicago Law Bulletin’s Leading Lawyer Network as a "Leading Lawyer," and was voted an Illinois Super Lawyer.

He received his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law in 1986, his M.A. in English from Ohio University in 1978, and his B.S. in Education from Miami University in 1974.

Publications and Speeches

  • "Protecting Corporate Brands," Moderator and speaker, Corporate Intellectual Property Law Conference, Law Bulletin Seminars, Chicago, Illinois, February 8, 2012.
  • "Lawyers Discuss ICANN’s New Domain Names Rule," Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, November 25, 2011 (featured quotes).
  • "Online Marketing Groups Slam ICCAN’s Proposal To Expand Web Domains," Internet Retailer, September 15, 2011 (featured quotes).
  • "Introduction To ICANN's New gTLD Program," ICANN's New Generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) Program, Live Presentation, September 9, 2011.
  • "Trademarks In The New gTLDs,"  ICANN's New Generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) Program, Live Presentation, September 9, 2011.
  • "Nine things You should Know About New gTLDs," ICANN's New Generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) Program, Live Presentation, September 9, 2011.
  • "Google Propels Books Into a Whole New Digital World," Chicago Lawyer, December 2010/January 2011 (featured quotes).
  • "ICANN Approves Registration of Internationalized Domain Names," Lawcast podcast, January 2010.
  • "Challenges of Intellectual Property and Branding on Regulatory Approvals," Nutraceutical and Functional Food Regulations in the United States and Around the World, September 2008.
  • "The Danger of an Industry Backlash," Managing Intellectual Property, October 2004.

Community and Professional Involvement

  • International Trademark Association (INTA) Internet Committee, Generic Top Level Domain Name Sub Committee
  • Piracy and Counterfeiting Committee, Intellectual Property Owners (IPO) Association
  • Former chair, INTA's Web Site Policy and Oversight Subcommittee
  • Former co-chair, Trademark in Cyberspace Conference, INTA-sponsored in Vancouver, B.C., Canada 2005
  • Previously, INTA's Member Communications Advisory Board, Programs Committee, Membership Committee, and Information Resources Committee and Member Client Education Sub Committee
  • Previously, developed INTA ONLINE web site development
  • Licensing Executive Society (LES)
  • Institute of Trademark Attorneys (ITMA)
  • Copyright Society of the U.S.A. (CSUSA)
  • Member National Ski Patrol

Short Biography

Education

  • Fordham University School of Law, J.D.
  • Ohio University, M.A., English
  • Miami University of Ohio, B.S., Education

Practices

Industries

Admissions

  • Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois

Publications

Memberships

  • International Trademark Association (INTA)

  • Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO)

  • Licensing Executives Society (LES)

  • The Institute of Trademark Attorneys (ITMA)

  • Copyright Society of the U.S.A (CSUSA)

News

Events

Michael R. Graham

Partner

For more than 20 years, Michael R. Graham has provided clients with wide-ranging counsel to advance and protect their trademark, copyright and other commercial and creative intellectual property rights.  He works closely with each client to maximize the value of their assets and applies his knowledge in forward-thinking ways, as in his early recognition of opportunities to commercialize and protect trademarks and copyrighted materials on the Internet.  Awarded a Martindale-Hubbell® AV Peer Review Rating™ and as a Leading Lawyer of 2009, Mr. Graham helps clients establish programs and strategies to establish and protect core business assets, and ensure and enforce his clients’ rights.

LAWCAST Pod cast

  • T.312.474.6616
  • F.312.474.0448

Michael R. Graham

Michael R. Graham

Recent Client Work

  • Successfully counseled clients in market and media research, consumer products, apparel and pharmaceutical industries on selection, development and registration of trademarks.
  • Guided market and media-research giant in rebranding program to capitalize on intellectual property assets; assisting them in gaining and protecting world-wide recognition and credibility for their brand.
  • Regularly alert clients to changes and conflicts relating to trademarks and domain names:  negotiated effective licenses and other agreements to commercialize and expand their rights.
  • Guided marine equipment and software company in developing hybrid open source and commercial use software licensing program.
  • Conducted successful inter partes and litigation procedures to assert and defend trademark rights.

Detailed Biography

Representative Experience

Mr. Graham has successfully handled IP matters for individuals, corporations, and associations in a wide range of industries, including:

  • Consumer products, apparel, and electronic products
  • Pharmaceutical products
  • Internet content providers and software developers
  • Printing processes and equipment
  • Artists, architects and designers
  • Entertainment and media, including artists, musicians, writers and publishers
  • Market and media research services

Background and Credentials

Mr. Graham focuses his practice on trademarks, copyrights, cyberlaw, licensing and intellectual property transactions and litigation.  He provides clients with counseling related to all phases of trademark, trade name, domain name, copyright clearance, registration and protection.

WTR 1000He has extensive experience negotiating and preparing intellectual property and software licenses, assignments and other agreements, as well as assisting clients in developing trademark and copyright use and protection programs.

With respect to the Internet, Mr. Graham has successfully aided clients in protecting their rights in trademarks, copyrighted works, and agreements; and guided clients through Internet domain name disputes under ICANN's Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy.  He has been one of the leading innovators in this area and remains so through his involvement in the International Trademark Association (INTA)’s Internet Committee.

Mr. Graham has also litigated trademark opposition and cancellation proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and has litigated trademark, copyright and unfair competition cases before U.S. District Courts.

He regularly educates legal staff, marketing departments, and other employees on intellectual property issues and is a frequent speaker.  He has written numerous articles and presentations on trademark, Internet, and copyright law.

Mr. Graham was awarded a Martindale-Hubbell® AV Peer Review Rating™, has been selected by the Chicago Law Bulletin’s Leading Lawyer Network as a "Leading Lawyer," and was voted an Illinois Super Lawyer.

He received his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law in 1986, his M.A. in English from Ohio University in 1978, and his B.S. in Education from Miami University in 1974.

Publications and Speeches

  • "Protecting Corporate Brands," Moderator and speaker, Corporate Intellectual Property Law Conference, Law Bulletin Seminars, Chicago, Illinois, February 8, 2012.
  • "Lawyers Discuss ICANN’s New Domain Names Rule," Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, November 25, 2011 (featured quotes).
  • "Online Marketing Groups Slam ICCAN’s Proposal To Expand Web Domains," Internet Retailer, September 15, 2011 (featured quotes).
  • "Introduction To ICANN's New gTLD Program," ICANN's New Generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) Program, Live Presentation, September 9, 2011.
  • "Trademarks In The New gTLDs,"  ICANN's New Generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) Program, Live Presentation, September 9, 2011.
  • "Nine things You should Know About New gTLDs," ICANN's New Generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) Program, Live Presentation, September 9, 2011.
  • "Google Propels Books Into a Whole New Digital World," Chicago Lawyer, December 2010/January 2011 (featured quotes).
  • "ICANN Approves Registration of Internationalized Domain Names," Lawcast podcast, January 2010.
  • "Challenges of Intellectual Property and Branding on Regulatory Approvals," Nutraceutical and Functional Food Regulations in the United States and Around the World, September 2008.
  • "The Danger of an Industry Backlash," Managing Intellectual Property, October 2004.

Community and Professional Involvement

  • International Trademark Association (INTA) Internet Committee, Generic Top Level Domain Name Sub Committee
  • Piracy and Counterfeiting Committee, Intellectual Property Owners (IPO) Association
  • Former chair, INTA's Web Site Policy and Oversight Subcommittee
  • Former co-chair, Trademark in Cyberspace Conference, INTA-sponsored in Vancouver, B.C., Canada 2005
  • Previously, INTA's Member Communications Advisory Board, Programs Committee, Membership Committee, and Information Resources Committee and Member Client Education Sub Committee
  • Previously, developed INTA ONLINE web site development
  • Licensing Executive Society (LES)
  • Institute of Trademark Attorneys (ITMA)
  • Copyright Society of the U.S.A. (CSUSA)
  • Member National Ski Patrol

Short Biography

Michael R. Graham

Education

  • Fordham University School of Law, J.D.
  • Ohio University, M.A., English
  • Miami University of Ohio, B.S., Education

Practices

Industries

Admissions

  • Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois

Publications

Memberships

  • International Trademark Association (INTA)

  • Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO)

  • Licensing Executives Society (LES)

  • The Institute of Trademark Attorneys (ITMA)

  • Copyright Society of the U.S.A (CSUSA)

News

Events

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