Michael D. Hobbs, focuses his practice on intellectual property, dividing his time between litigation and client counseling in the fields of trademark, copyright, false advertising, and unfair competition law.
Mike has experience in negotiating complex trademark and copyright licenses, in litigation before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, and with large-scale trademark clearance and registration projects. Mike’s approach to working with clients allows him to develop a strong knowledge of their objectives and advance their goals efficiently.
He is frequently invited to speak at industry conferences and on panels on current IP issues in industries such as sports, entertainment, technology and media. His commentary has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, the Atlanta Journal Constitutionand Law360 and on NBC and Bloomberg.
Mike has been consistently recognized for his work in the intellectual property area by World Trademark Review, Best Lawyers, and Managing Intellectual Property.
Representative Matters :
- Represented Mizuno USA in sponsorship agreement negotiations with the Atlanta Braves to become the official baseball equipment partner of the Braves with promotional rights in the new Braves stadium. Negotiated lease for Mizuno’s first concept store in North America.
- Successfully defended the world’s largest flooring manufacturer, Mohawk, in five separate trademark infringement lawsuits against competitor Beaulieu. All claims were dismissed.
- Served as defense counsel in a trademark infringement claim. Obtained dismissal with prejudice on all claims. Delta Plumbing, Inc. v. Georgia Delta Mechanical, Inc. and Delta Mechanical, Inc. (C.A.F.N.: 09-A-04588-2).
- Represented numerous licensors and licensees in trademark, copyright and software license agreements.
- Listed correspondent and procured more than 2,200 trademark registrations in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
- Advised clients in complying with laws regarding Internet websites, including terms and conditions, privacy policies and social media advertising.
- Represented numerous clients in advertising review and compliance matters, including review for FTC, national television network broadcast, false advertising and comparative advertising issues.
Professional and Community Involvement :
- Member, Executive Committee, Troutman Sanders
- Member, Board of Governors, State Bar of Georgia
- Current Secretary, Georgia Intellectual Property Alliance
- Leadership Buckhead (2003)
- Chair, Board of Directors, Agape Community Center
EDUCATION :
- Vanderbilt University Law School, J.D., 1991
- Davidson College, B.A., 1987
BAR ADMISSIONS : Georgia, Connecticut.
Cost
Rate : $$$