Experience
Valerie Brennan joined Plave Koch in January 2020 and leads the firm’s Trademarks & Copyrights practice. She has over 20 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, domain name registration, and commercialization of technology. 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). For 2020-2021, she will serve as vice-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
- J.D., University of Michigan Law School, cum laude, 1994
- Certificate of Merit in Copyright
- Certificate of Merit in Writing and Advocacy
- B.S., General Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1991
Memberships
- International Trademark Association, Copyright Committee (2016-2017 and 2018-2019 terms), Subcommittee Chair (2018-2019 term), Vice-Chair (2020-2021 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)
- Copyright Society of the U.S.
Admitted to Practice
- Virginia
- District of Colombia
Presentations
Presenter, Moderator, or Co-Presenter:
Trademarks and Brands Q&A: EU Trademark Protection
Webinar
November 2016
Table Topic Moderator – Naked Licensing
INTA AM
May 2014| Hong Kong
Rise of Social Media
INTA
December 2011| Dublin
Creations of the Mind: Understanding your School’s Intellectual Property Rights
NAIS Conference
February 2011
Social Media Law
Law Seminars International Presents
January 2011
Table Topic Moderator – IP Due Diligence from a U.S. Perspective
INTA AM
May 2009
Fair Use Update: Copyright and Trademark
IP Commercialization and Prosecution and Counseling Groups
October 2006
Post-acquisition branding revitalization
AIPLA
April 2006| Chicago
Publications
Author or Co-Author:
Who owns it? Addressing creation of intellectual property in schools
NAIS Legal Advisory
May 2017
Copyright in the Classroom: What Every School Administrator and Teacher Should Know
NAIS Legal Advisory
February 2017
Branding the Sandwich: Establishing Trademarks in Restaurant Menu Items
INTA Bulletin
March 2009
Navigating Social Media in the Workplace
Licensing Journal
2009
Gone But Not Goodbye: Residual Goodwill in Abandoned U.S. Trademarks
INTA Bulletin
August 2008
Recent TTAB Holdings Continue Board’s Strong Stance on Fraud
INTA Bulletin
June 2008
Don’t Tread on Montana: The Last Best Beef
INTA Bulletin
January 2008
Obtaining a Security Interest in a Trademark: Comparison Under US and UK Practice
INTA Bulletin
December 2007
Five Common Misconceptions regarding Trademark Protection from a US Perspective
INTA Bulletin
March 2007