Neil B. Friedman

Neil has extensive experience in intellectual property law. His practice concentration includes trademark prosecution, trademark management of international portfolios, trademark enforcement and anti-counterfeiting, licensing and transactional agreements, and intellectual property litigation before U.S. federal courts and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Neil regularly counsels clients and businesses regarding the adoption of their trademarks, branding techniques and strategies, advertising, and social media issues.  Additionally, Neil regularly handles sending and responding to cease and desist letters, resulting settlement agreements, coexistence agreements, and letters of consent, as well as customs recordations and anti-counterfeiting work, including:

• creating brand manuals;
• trademark and copyright recordation program for IP owners;
• tracking counterfeit seizures for potential civil and criminal actions;
• investigations of counterfeiters and testing of counterfeit goods;
• cease and desist letter work that develops into civil court actions;
• assisting local authorities and prosecutors with search warrants and arrests;
• assisting U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan, New Orleans, and Los Angeles in the prosecution of counterfeiters of clients' products;
• preparation of victim impact statements and obtaining restitution for clients. 

When disputes arise, Neil’s experience, knowledge base, and hands-on and attentive approach render him well positioned to obtain cost-effective results for his clients.

Prior to joining Hodgson Russ, Neil was partner at an intellectual property law firm with offices in New York City and New Jersey. There, he was responsible for the management of the trademark portfolios for a variety of companies, both domestically and internationally. Neil also served for five years as a senior assistant district attorney in Suffolk County, New York, where he was responsible for the investigation and prosecution of trademark counterfeiting, computer crimes, and other white collar crimes.

• Notes and comments editor, Touro International Law Review
• American Jurisprudence Award for Academic Excellence in Contracts II
• West Publishing Corpus Juris Secundum Award for Excellence in Contracts II

• International Trademark Association