Joyce Liou chairs the Trademark Group and is a partner in the firm’s Intellectual Property Group. She engages in a broad intellectual property practice, with an emphasis on both IP counseling and litigation for a diverse roster of clients. Joyce has litigated numerous district court disputes involving trademark, copyright, false advertising, right of publicity, and unfair competition claims, and has secured preliminary injunctions, summary judgment rulings, and trial verdicts for her clients. In addition to federal litigation, she routinely handles proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, and has extensive experience with trademark clearance, prosecution, licensing, and due diligence. Joyce manages IP portfolios and provides global strategies for industry giants and startups alike, from a broad spectrum of fields, including technology, consumer goods, entertainment, pharmaceuticals, food, and agriculture.
Joyce’s successes have built her reputation as a recognized leader in trademark law. In 2022 and 2023, she was shortlisted for Trademark Lawyer of the Year by Euromoney Legal Media. Joyce serves on the Legislation and Regulation Committee for the International Trademark Association. Outside of her practice, Joyce is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in the greater community. She serves on the Development Committee for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and participates in clinics to help individuals seeking U.S. naturalization or asylum on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Experience
(Central District of California). Obtained a preliminary injunction for AK Futures in a counterfeiting lawsuit involving its hemp-derived Delta-8 vaping devices. The Ninth Circuit affirmed in a precedential ruling that such products are lawful under the Farm Act and thus may receive federal trademark protection.
(Southern District of California). Obtained a judgment on the pleadings for Panini in a lawsuit by Upper Deck asserting trademark, false advertising, and right of publicity claims based on its alleged exclusive license of Michael Jordan’s image and likeness for trading cards.
(District of Delaware). Secured a defense trial verdict for VMware on trademark infringement claims by Cirba d/b/a Densify over VMware’s descriptive uses of “densify” for virtualization technology.
(Northern District of California). Successfully represented Lambda Labs in a trademark infringement lawsuit against Lambda School, now Bloom Institute of Technology, concerning educational and software consulting services.
(Northern District of California). Obtained a tentative summary judgment ruling for Ubiquiti regarding the non-extraterritoriality of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act in a lawsuit alleging circumvention of Synopsys’ licensing restrictions in Taiwan. The case settled shortly thereafter.
(Western District of Texas). Secured a stipulated permanent injunction for One World Foods in a lawsuit against the Stubb’s Austin restaurant and concert venue over its use of STUBB’S for additional locations in violation of an implied trademark license.
(District of Maryland). Successfully represented McCormick, owner of the OLD BAY mark, in a trademark infringement lawsuit concerning Primal Palate’s NEW BAE mark. The case settled after completion of discovery.
(Northern District of California). Successfully represented Novadaq in a trademark infringement lawsuit against Karl Storz over its competing medical fluorescence imaging technology. The case settled four days before trial.
(District of Connecticut). Obtained a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction for MI Technologies against Electrified Discounters in a trademark infringement lawsuit involving counterfeit bulbs.