Overview
Katherine P. Califa is an 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. Katherine regularly counsel’s clients regarding the selection, procurement, and enforcement of brands and other intellectual property assets in the United States and abroad. She also works with clients to develop cost-effective worldwide brand protection strategies related to advertising in new media, launching new products, and entering new markets. Katherine has robust experience dealing with legal issues related to social media, mobile apps, right of publicity, right of privacy, and trade dress matters. On the enforcement side, Katherine represents clients before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, helps clients combat online and brick-and-mortar brand infringements, and negotiates favorable settlements to complex disputes. Katherine also provides intellectual property counseling related to business acquisitions and related due diligence. Katherine has specific experience advising clients on the unique challenges related to naming new pharmaceutical products. She is a member of the firm’s Trademark, Copyright Advertising Practice, and the Medical Devices Industry Team.
Katherine has been recognized as a leading trademark practitioner in the 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 editions of WTR 1000, published by the World Trademark Review.
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.
Education
Katherine is a graduate of Stanford Law School (J.D., 2006), where she was an editor of the Stanford Journal of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and served as co-chair of the Stanford Latino Law Students Association. Katherine earned her B.A. in economics from Wellesley College (cum laude, 2003).
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, and pharmaceuticals
- Regularly advises major pharmaceutical manufacturers on trademark and regulatory risks related to candidate drug names
- Manages brand and copyright enforcement actions for leading e-content provider
- Assisted client with reaching global mobile app release targets by handling all aspects of intellectual property due diligence, including advising on trademark use and clearance, copyright, and right of publicity clearance, compliance with internal branding guidelines, and compliance with app platform rules and guidelines
Presentations
- 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)
Admissions and Professional Memberships
Katherine is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, Maryland, the United States District of Maryland, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. She is a member of several professional organizations, including the International Trademark Association, the Hispanic National Bar Association, and the American Bar Association.