Katherine P. Califa

Katherine P. Califa is a partner and intellectual property lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP where she advises clients on ways to develop, protect, manage and maximize the value of their intellectual property. A key focus of her practice is counseling clients regarding the selection, registration and enforcement of brands and other intellectual property assets in the United States and abroad. 

Katherine’s practice includes:

• Developing cost-effective worldwide brand protection and enforcement strategies
• Advising on pharmaceutical name selection, including the intersection between trademark and regulatory review of drug candidate names
• Securing product shape protection for medical devices, edible goods, and fashion products
• Counseling clients on creative ways to protect non-traditional trademarks
• Representing clients before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board
• Negotiating favorable settlements to complex disputes
• Advising clients regarding legal issues surrounding social media, mobile apps, domain names, rights of publicity and rights of privacy
• Providing intellectual property support for mergers, acquisitions, sales and other business transactions

While Katherine works with clients in all industries, she has extensive experience advising clients in the pharmaceutical, medical device, food/beverage and financial services industries. She is a member of the firm’s Trademark, Copyright Advertising Practice and the Medical Devices and Financial Institutions Industry Teams. 

Prior to joining Foley, Katherine served as a law clerk for the Honorable Deborah K. Chasanow at the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.

Presentations & Publications

• Marketing, Advertising, and Promotions: Introduction and Issue Spotting, GC Bootcamp (2020)
• Expanding Your Brand Through Social Media Influencers, Trade Association Presentation (2020)
• Trademarks, Promotions, and Social Media Best Practices, Client Presentation (2020)
• Failure to Function Refusals: What You Need to Know, Foley & Lardner LLP (2019)
• Social Media and #Influencer Issues in the Fashion, Apparel & Beauty Industry, Foley & Lardner LLP (2019)
• Working With Influencers: What Businesses Need to Know, Daily Business Review (2019)
• Trademarks, Promotions, and Social Media Best Practices, Client Presentation (2019)
• The Effect of Your Trademark Initiatives on Your Business Image, Managing Intellectual Property's Fifth Annual International Women's Leadership Forum (2018)
• Trademark Protection and Enforcement, Client Presentation (2018)
• Recent Federal Trade Commission Decisions, American Bar Association Antitrust Division Monthly Update (2018)

Representative Experience

• Manages worldwide trademark portfolios and directs global clearance, registration and enforcement strategies for clients in diverse industries, including financial services, consumer products, health/medical technology, pharmaceuticals and hospitality services
• Regularly advises major pharmaceutical manufacturers on trademark and regulatory risks related to candidate drug names
• Manages U.S. brand and copyright registration and enforcement for leading luxury goods provider
• Manages buyer-side and seller-side IP due diligence for large corporate transactions
• Drafts and negotiates a variety of agreements (e.g., coexistence, settlement, content development, licensing of characters, trademarks, music, software, photos, images and artwork)

Recognition

• Recognized as a leader in the field of trademark law by World Trademark Review in its “WTR 1000 – The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals” directory (2016 – 2021)

Education

• Stanford Law School (J.D., 2006)
  • Editor, Stanford Journal of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
  • Co-chair of the Stanford Latino Law Students Association
• Wellesley College (B.A., cum laude, 2003)

Professional Memberships

• International Trademark Association
• Hispanic National Bar Association
• American Bar Association 

Admissions

• District of Columbia
• Maryland
• United States District of Maryland
• United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit