Andrew Price has spent 17 years at Venable with one focus: he helps clients establish, protect and profit from their brands worldwide.
Ranked four years in a row as one of the elite trademark prosecution and strategy attorneys in Washington, DC, he is noted for a "fantastic global perspective," "first-class knowledge of trademark law," and "superb understanding of clients and their needs" (WTR 1000, 2012-2015; Legal 500, 2013-2014). He is "wholeheartedly recommended" for his "smart, dedicated and extremely creative approach. His ability to infuse life into even the driest legal issues is second to none" (WTR 1000, 2014).
Mr. Price was one of the earliest members of Venable's trademark practice, which has been ranked Tier 1 nationally and in Washington, DC (U.S. News - Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms," 2011-2012). As a leading member of that group, he represents clients of all sizes, from startups and celebrities to nonprofits and multinational corporations – with a special emphasis on managing large portfolios of trademarks.
Mr. Price focuses his practice on brand strategy as well as searching, registering, licensing, and enforcing all types of trademarks worldwide (e.g., brand names, logos, slogans, trade dress such as product configuration, and non-traditional marks such as motion marks). His practice includes bringing and defending opposition and cancellation actions before the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. He also works closely with the firm’s Intellectual Property Litigation Group to bring and defend trademark-related lawsuits, including preliminary injunction motions, in the United States. Abroad Mr. Price oversees a personal network of top foreign lawyers in a full range of trademark work.
Dedicated to providing strategic counsel, client service and value, he is an "arch strategist" who achieves "the perfect balance of being detail focused without losing sight of the big picture" (WTR 1000, 2013 & 2015).
Representative Clients
Serves as chief U.S. and global trademark prosecution counsel to a leading smartphone provider, Sony Mobile; and served a second leading provider in the same way.
Serves as chief trademark counsel to a large number of clients in Venable's nationally recognized Nonprofit Organizations Practice Group.
Responsible for nearly 5,000 active trademark applications/registrations and oppositions/cancellations, including portfolios of the above clients plus the following, among others:
a leading Hollywood production company;
one of the world's largest investment companies;
one of the world's top dance footwear and apparel companies; and
one of the world's largest cloud hosting companies.
Significant Matters
Helping a client manage trademark litigation in China before the new Beijing IP Court.
Helped a top-ten Fortune 500 company recover a vanity social media handle after three years of attempts by the client to do so.
Provided strategic counsel to a leading Hollywood production company on global brand protection, and became the company’s chief global trademark counsel.
Represented Arianna Huffington in negotiating intellectual property aspects of the sale of The Huffington Post to AOL.
Created and managed the strategy to file 450 trademark applications worldwide for one of Interbrand’s Best Global Brands 2012, and delivered the project under budget.
Registered the name of Apple’s 2012 iPhone App of the Year based on acquired distinctiveness, after a personal meeting with the Examiner, months before the award.
Created a strategy that got a large mobile client’s “crown jewel” trademark approved by the USPTO in 13 business days, after it lingered at another firm for 3-1/2 years with various objections.
Provided strategic counsel to a Fortune 250 company on how to evolve its house brands, and filed a number of stealth applications in the process.
Helped Sony manage the intricacies of trademark law related to its acquisition of Ericsson’s 50% interest in the Sony Ericsson joint venture.
Helped a joint venture of one of the world’s top luxury automobile brands select house brands for a new “green” line of cars.
Won a seven-year battle to register a restaurant chain’s main brand in the European Community.
Successfully defended a nonprofit against a party that claimed it jointly owned the client’s name.
Successfully defended a large investment company in an opposition, with a counterattack that caused the competitor to withdraw and phase out its own slogan.
Worked with Venable's litigation team to defend and file preliminary injunction actions in U.S. District Court, resulting in favorable settlements.
Developed a global strategy that led to settlement after a party demanded our client not launch a critical product-line brand.
Managed the searching of over 500 trademarks for one client in one year.
Worked on high-dollar licensing transactions involving major TV show names.
Won an appeal for Sony Mobile to register a rare motion mark in the European Community, and obtained for the client one of the few U.S. registrations for a sound mark.
Stopped Asian and European counterfeiters of the world's top-selling dance sneaker.
Filed one of the first U.S.-based applications under the Madrid Protocol, and registered the well-known nonprofit brand MENSA worldwide through the system.
Activities
Mr. Price is a member of the International Trademark Association (INTA) and attends its annual meetings (named Best Dressed in Dallas by WTR for "full cowboy regalia"). He served on the Hiring Committee for Venable's Washington, DC office for the last three years (when the firm's summer associate program was ranked as one of the top in the country by Vault), and now serves on the firm's Diversity and Partnership Selection Committees. With a colleague, he won the DC office's Sir Francis Drake Bocce Tournament. In pro bono matters, he represents DC Central Kitchen and its celebrity "Food Fight" fundraiser. In his spare time, he is a guitarist of 30 years, plotting his next performance at the office's annual Halloween contest / talent show, which he has won and emceed as well.
