NEWS AND EVENTS

The firm was proud to sponsor the Harvard Law School Alumni Breakfast at the International Trademark Association's Annual Meeting in San Diego.

Michael Friedland moderated a panel for the Harvard Law School Association on May 15 on the topic, "Career Transitions: Litigation to Mediation." The panel featured expert private mediators Jeff Kichaven and Richard M. Segal.

Michael Friedland spoke to the DRA annual convention on May 3 in Ventura on "AI and the Legal Industry: What's Changed, What's Changing, and What's Next."  The speech addressed the history and technical background of AI, the impact of the rapidly changing technology on the legal profession, quality concerns, and significant ethical implications.

Michael Friedland spoke at the LA Intellectual Property Law Association's Spring Seminar on May 2 in Laguna Beach, California as panelist on the topic, "Nice to Meet You, Your Honor: Approaching IP Cases When Appearing Before a New (or New to You) Judge."  The panel provided practical advice and behind-the-bench insight from judges and practitioners about appearing in all types of IP cases before new district and magistrate judges. It discussed best practices in patent, copyright, trademark, and trade secret cases, with a focus on the likelihood of assignment to a new judge based on recent court changes (e.g., many new members of the bench, end of the patent program, and adoption of magistrate judge opt-out process). The panel featured the Hon. David O. Carter, the Hon. Fred W. Slaughter, and the Hon. Patricia A. Donahue, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, and Nancy Olson of Olson Stein LLP.

Law360 quoted Michael Friedland in its April 16, 2025 article, "Demand for IP Work is Robust, but Rate Pressure Prompts Some to Flee Big Law." The article reported, "Friedland, who chaired the litigation practice at Knobbe Martens, said his move to form a new firm stemmed more from the camaraderie absent from Big Law that's more accessible within smaller, more intimate boutiques. ... 'We were just excited about the idea of being able to build a firm that was exactly the way we thought firms should be.'"

On April 10, 2025, Chambers and Partners named Friedland Cianfrani in its Spotlight Guide. Chambers stated, "Friedland Cianfrani LLP is highlighted for its expert IP litigation practice.  . . . The team expertly handles cases in federal and state trial and appellate courts."    

Per Chambers, "Spotlight specifically champions outstanding boutique and mid-size firms that deliver partner-level attention, deep regional knowledge, and cost-effective solutions for sophisticated legal work . . . firms that punch above their weight."

Nicole Townes spoke as part of a panel to the Orange County Intellectual Property Law Association on April 16 on the topic, "Building and Protecting a Strong Brand Identity." The panel also featured Sui Q. Duong of Pure Storage, Inc., Eunice Yu Moller of Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp., and Cheryl Withycombe of AbbVie Inc.

IP360 quoted Nicole Townes in its March 31 article, "Duke's 'White Lotus' Cameo Not Likely an IP Problem for HBO." The article addressed Duke's public criticism of the HBO show's use of Duke's trademark in a disturbing scene. Townes explained the obstacles that Duke would face if it were to bring a trademark claim under the Rogers test. The test considers, among other things, whether a creative work's use of a trademark is artistically relevant to the plot. "HBO would be able to pass pretty easily that showing of artistic relevance, given that it's so integral to the development of that particular character and his family," Nicole Rossi Townes of Friedland Cianfrani LLP told Law360.

On March 10, 2025, the Los Angeles Daily Journal profiled the firm in its March 10 article, "Better Together: Intellectual property litigators at Friedland Cianfrani say personal connection still matters." As quoted by the Daily Journal: "A lot of learning and collaboration and great ideas come when people are together, and I found when everyone during COVID was on Zoom, it didn't work quite as well," Cianfrani said. "I learned so much just in the hallways of our prior law firm, and we decided being in the office together is the way to get our best ideas and to have best collaboration among the team, and we were both pretty resolute on that one issue."

On March 6, 2025, the National Law Journal quoted Joe Cianfrani in its article, "Will the Federal Circuit's One-Word Affirmances Get Supreme Court Scrutiny?" The article covered a panel on which Cianfrani spoke debating whether the Federal Circuit's frequent reliance on one-word affirmances under Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 36 was lawful. Cianfrani defended the Federal Circuit's practice. As quoted by the National Law Journal: "We live in a world of limited resources," Cianfrani said. "Wouldn't everyone love to have a 60-page opinion in every single case? Yes, or course we would. We know that we can't have that, and the courts have to make some trade offs."

Thompson Reuters has named Michael Friedland a "Super Lawyer" in the field of Intellectual Property Litigation.  It's the 18th time he has received that honor.

Joe Cianfrani spoke at a webinar on "The Federal Circuit's Reliance on One-Word Affirmances Under Rule 36: Is it Lawful?" The webinar also featured Robert J. Rando of Greenspan Marder LLP and Amit R. Vora of Kasowitz Benson Torres. To view the webinar, visit here.

On January 9, 2025, Law360 Pulse published an article on Nicole Townes joining Friedland Cianfrani. "California intellectual property boutique Friedland Cianfrani LLP is expanding its team, bringing in former corporate counsel for IP at Amazon as a partner." To see the article, visit here (subscription required).

On January 7, 2025, the Los Angeles Daily Journal featured Nicole Townes on the front page of its print edition. "I think the experience [of being in-house] is going to be invaluable as I transition back to outside counsel," she said. "I have a much better understanding as to how to effectively communicate with clients and really understanding what's important to them." To view the article, visit here (subscription required).

Partner David Kim has been named to the Board of Directors of the Orange County Intellectual Property Law Association. The members of the firm are proud of their long association with the OCIPLA. Nicole Townes is a past president of the OCIPLA, and Joe Cianfrani and Michael Friedland have both been speakers at OCIPLA events.

The firm is proud to announce that Nicole Townes has joined the firm as partner. "We're so excited to have Nicole join us," said Joe Cianfrani. "We'd worked with her for years at our prior firm, and we saw first-hand what an incredible IP litigator and trademark prosecutor she is. On top of that, Nicole brings a fresh perspective--she served for the past three years as in-house trademark counsel for one of the largest companies in the world."  For more information, visit here.

On December 9, Joe Cianfrani spoke to the Orange County Intellectual Property Law Association at its Holiday Celebration. He discussed Federal Circuit damages law on the use of prior license agreements to prove a reasonable royalty, how Rule 702 and Daubert limit their use, and the Federal Circuit's pending rehearing en banc in EcoFactor, Inc. v. Google. 

The firm represents the American Intellectual Property Law Association as amicus curiae in the Federal Circuit's rehearing en banc in EcoFactor, Inc. v. Google, Case No. 2023-1101.  The firm filed the brief on behalf of the AIPLA on November 26. To view the brief, visit here.

On November 22, 2024, the firm moved to its new home at 17901 Von Karman Ave., Ste. 925, Irvine, CA 92614.  The phone numbers remain the same.