FRANCHISE LAW WITH ZING

Attorney Valerie Brennen

Valerie
Brennan

  • Partner

Contact

F 703-774-1201

3120 Fairview Park Drive
Suite 420
Falls Church, VA 22042

Practice Areas

  • Trademarks & Copyrights
  • Licensing
  • Domain Names, Internet & Technology
Experience
Presentations
Publications

Experience

Valerie joined Plave Koch in January 2020 and leads the firm's Trademarks & Copyrights practice. She has almost 30 years of experience advising companies and associations on selecting, protecting, licensing, and enforcing their trademarks worldwide. Valerie also expands PK's capabilities in domain name counseling and digital disputes and, with her onboard, we are able to offer copyright counseling, copyright registration, copyright licensing, and copyright dispute services as well.

Valerie has handled hundreds of intellectual property portfolios, both domestic and international, and has negotiated trademark and copyright licenses worldwide. Her experience runs the gamut of trademark and copyright issues - cease-and-desist letters, social media, IP audits, certification programs, security interests in IP, merger-related due diligence and IP transfers, cybersquatters and domain name registration. On the copyright side, she is particularly experienced with fair use analyses and DMCA take-down notices.

Valerie has been active for years in the leadership and committee work of the International Trademark Association (INTA). This term, she serves as Chair of INTA's Copyright Committee. She has written, moderated, and presented on a range of IP topics, including portfolio management, securitization of trademarks, due diligence, and social media.

Valerie started her legal career at Wiley Rein in D.C. with many of her Plave Koch colleagues. She joined PK after twenty years at Hogan Lovells US LLP, where she co-managed the firm's trademark prosecution and counseling practice and led the IP support team for the firm's financing practice.

Fluent in French (spoken, superbe; written, bien)

Education

  • University of Michigan Law School at Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, Michigan
    • J.D. - 1994
    • Honors: Cum Laude
    • Major: Certificate of Merit in Copyright
    • Major: Certificate of Merit in Writing and Advocacy
  • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    • B.S. - 1991
    • Major: General Engineering

Bar Admissions

  • Virginia

Professional Associations

  • International Trademark Association, Commercialization of Brands Committee (2024-2025 term)
  • International Trademark Association, Copyright Committee (2016-2017 and 2018-2019 terms), Subcommittee Chair (2018-2019 term), Vice-Chair (2020-2021 term), Chair (2022-2023 term)
  • International Trademark Association, Trademark Practices Committee (2012-2013 and 2014-2015 terms)
  • International Trademark Association, Bulletin Committee – Features (2006-2011 terms), Subcommittee Co-Chair (2010-2011 term)
  • IFA, Member
  • American Bar Association, Member

Honors

  • Stand-out Lawyer in Thomson Reuters Stand-Out Lawyers 2023
  • Best Lawyers 2023
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