Kristine M. Young

Multinational corporations, entrepreneurs, and individuals in sectors such as technology, retail, banking, entertainment, and hospitality rely on Kristine Young’s deep experience in trademark prosecution and enforcement, brand management, global anti-counterfeiting initiatives, false advertising enforcement, defense and advisory work, and corporate transactions. Clients trust her with transactional work, litigation in federal and state courts, and matters before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB), and the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center.

Brand Management, Prosecution, Strategy, and Counseling: With extensive experience in trademark prosecution and brand management, drawing from a wealth of knowledge in international trademark law and computer information systems, clients turn to Kristine for counsel on their global trademark portfolios and matters across multiple jurisdictions, including:

• Clearance, preparation, prosecution, and maintenance of domestic and foreign trademarks and copyrights
• Registering and safeguarding trademarks within the United States and globally
• Copyright protection, registration, and enforcement
• Freedom-to-operate assessments related to computer technologies and systems

Litigation, Dispute Resolution, and Online Enforcement: Clients trust Kristine for representation in federal and state courts on trademark, false advertising, trade secret, domain name, copyright, unfair competition, and breach of contract issues, including trademark opposition and cancellation proceedings before the TTAB and domain name litigation under the Anti-Cybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA) and the UDRP. Clients also seek her advice on all aspects of enforcement strategies regarding trademark and copyright infringement on social media, content sharing, and e-commerce websites – including takedown requests and the safe harbor provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

Anti-Counterfeiting Strategy and Enforcement: Clients look to Kristine for counsel at varying stages of the supply chain, including in federal court actions and by working with law enforcement, to prevent and curtail the illegal manufacture, distribution, and sale of counterfeit goods, protecting clients’ rights and reducing their reputational harm. They trust her robust strategies and enforcement actions for combating counterfeiting/counterfeit goods domestically and globally in online and on-the-ground marketplaces, including working with US Customs and Border Protection and similar organizations in other jurisdictions to help stop counterfeit goods at the point of entry.

Advertising: Clients frequently rely on Kristine with complex legal matters in advertising regarding:

• Advertising campaigns
• Advertising slogan/material selection and clearance to ensure compliance with laws and regulations
• Matters involving false or misleading claims, endorsements, testimonials, comparative advertising, and regulatory compliance
• Right to publicity and privacy concerns
• Copyright and trademark considerations
• Compliance of websites/social media pages with relevant copyright, trademark, and publicity laws

Corporate Transactions, Licensing, Restructuring, and Internet Privacy: Seasoned in domestic and international intellectual property rights and licensing law, including on patent rights, trademarks, copyrights, technical know-how, trade secrets, and computer software, clients seek Kristine’s advice on IP issues regarding:

• Inter-affiliate intellectual property licensing and the restructuring of intellectual property portfolios
• Public and private mergers
• Acquisitions
• Joint development agreements
• Joint ventures/strategic alliances for US, foreign, and multinational corporations (publicly and privately held)
• Website privacy policies and practices, and federal and state data privacy laws
• Trademark, copyright, and trade secret matters pertaining to AI (safeguarding intellectual property rights, assessing risks, and establishing policies governing AI use)

Artificial Intelligence: Leveraging her deep understanding of AI technologies law, companies seek Kristine’s guidance to protect and utilize their intellectual property assets. Clients rely on her to help them safeguard trade secrets and confidential information, and draft comprehensive corporate policies addressing challenges posed by AI.

Kristine is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Prior to joining Mayer Brown, Kristine worked for a “big four” accounting firm in the IT Risk Assurance practice.