NEWS AND EVENTS

October 14, 2026 - Friedland Cianfrani has been selected by the Daily Journal in its 2026 feature, “Top Boutiques in California,” recognizing just 25 law firms statewide.

The feature highlights the firm’s growth, intellectual property litigation practice, and commitment to delivering sophisticated legal representation through a focused, senior-level team. Managing partner Michael Friedland was quoted describing the firm’s approach simply: “We want to stay on the path that we're on.”

The Daily Journal feature quoted three other Friedland Cianfrani partners—Lauren Katzenellenbogen, Nicole Townes, and David Kim—about the firm’s development, client work, and future. The firm handles patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret disputes across the country, representing clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies. The article highlighted matters involving patent enforcement for Rokform LLC, complex multijurisdictional litigation involving trade secret misappropriation and trademark infringement, and design patent and trademark cases. As Kim explained, the firm’s growth reflects client confidence: “That growth reflects the kind of practice we've built and the trust clients have put in us.”

The recognition comes amid additional honors for the firm and its attorneys. Chambers USA ranked Friedland Cianfrani in its California Spotlight Guide for intellectual property litigation, and Best Lawyers in America recognized several of its attorneys in 2026. Looking ahead, the firm plans to maintain its boutique model, prioritizing exceptional attorneys, close collaboration, and personalized client service over rapid expansion. As Katzenellenbogen explained, “We'd like to stay small enough that everyone feels that they have a voice in the firm and a real stake in its success.”

October 13, 2026 - Michael Friedland was quoted in a Law360 article examining the growing role of trade secret litigation amid intensifying competition in the artificial intelligence industry.

The October 13, 2026 article, “In AI Race, Trade Secret Suits Become Popular Safeguard,” explores how AI companies are increasingly relying on trade secret protections to safeguard proprietary technology, retain competitive advantages, and address concerns arising from the movement of engineers between competing companies.

Friedland highlighted the heightened urgency surrounding the AI race, noting that companies increasingly view falling behind competitors as an existential threat. He also discussed the importance of protecting confidential information when hiring employees from competing businesses, emphasizing that companies must take proactive steps to ensure new hires do not bring proprietary information from their former employers. His advice to departing employees was straightforward: “take nothing.”

As AI competition accelerates, Friedland’s comments underscore the importance of effective trade secret protection, responsible hiring practices, and careful management of confidential information.

Read the full Law360 article here (subscription required).

October 1, 2026 - Friedland Cianfrani partner Michael Friedland was quoted by Law360 in its analysis of Taction Technology Inc.’s historic $5.7 billion patent verdict against Apple Inc. The September 25 jury award is the largest patent damages verdict in history and is expected to face significant post-trial and appellate scrutiny.

Friedland offered Law360 his perspective on the challenges presented by extraordinary patent verdicts, noting that “whenever there's an eye-popping jury verdict, you have to take it with a little bit of a grain of salt, because it's just so rare that those are ultimately upheld.” He also discussed the demanding standards governing patent damages, particularly reasonable royalty and apportionment issues. “Even with a really, really good expert,” Friedland explained, “it's so difficult to cross all the t's and dot all the i's that you need to, to prove reasonable royalty to the Federal Circuit's satisfaction.”

Friedland’s comments were featured prominently in Law360’s examination of the history of billion-dollar patent verdicts and the legal challenges that can follow record-setting awards. His analysis provides insight into the complex damages and appellate issues that arise in high-stakes patent litigation.

Read the full Law360 article here (subscription required).

September 30, 2026 - Nicole Townes spoke as part of panel on the topic "IP Enforcement" at the Federal Bar Association's Annual Intellectual Property Seminar on September 30, 2026, at the University of California, Irvine School of Law. The panel also featured the Hon. Shashi H. Kewalramani (Ret.), Mediator, JAMS, and Paul Bokota, General Counsel, The HydraFacial Company. The panel will be moderated by Brandon Smith, Partner, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP.

September 11, 2026 - Nicole Townes was quoted by Law360 in its article, "In-House Atty Org. Says Rival Ripped Off Data for AI Tool."

The article reports on the Association for Corporate Counsel's just-filed lawsuit alleging that a company's AI tool for in-house lawyers. The ACC alleges that the company infringed ACC's copyrights (by ingesting ACC's copyrighted material for training) and trademarks (by including the trademarks in its marketing materials).

Among other things, Townes commented on ACC's allegation that the company infringed on ACC's BY IN-HOUSE COUNSEL, FOR IN-HOUSE COUNSEL trademark.

She told Law360: "What struck me about the case, from a trademark perspective, was that the trademark ACC is claiming rights in is 'By In-House Counsel, For In-House Counsel,'" Townes said. "They do have a trademark registration on the principal register, and it's incontestable, so, per the trademark office, it's a strong mark. But if you think about it, 'By In-House Counsel, For In-House Counsel' seems a little bit descriptive of what both parties are doing."

Read the full Law360 article here (subscription required).

September 4, 2026 - Lauren Katzenellenbogen was quoted by Law360 its article, "Fed. Circ. Backs Double Dismissals, But Dodges Preclusion," on the Federal Circuit's precedential opinion in AML IP v. Bath & Body Works.

The Federal Circuit upheld a Texas judge’s decision to dismiss a patent case against Bath & Body Works on both venue and patent-eligibility grounds, holding that district courts have discretion to resolve multiple potentially dispositive issues to avoid piecemeal appeals.

Katzenellenbogen explained that AML’s reliance on cases involving venue transfers was misplaced because those cases involved complex issues better left to the receiving court, such as summary judgment. “[The Federal Circuit] recognized that the plaintiff had cited some cases where district courts had said, ‘We’re transferring venue, and we’re going to allow the court that’s taking over the case to decide a summary judgment motion because that’s going to require a lot of time and almost be like a full trial."  In contrast, she noted that the district court in this case had decided the much less complex question of patent eligibility under 35 U.S.C. § 101. "Patent eligibility is an issue that’s fairly discrete."

Read the full Law360 article here (subscription required).

August 20, 2026 - Seven Friedland Cianfrani lawyers were named "Best Lawyers." 

Four lawyers were named "Best Lawyers in America." Joe Cianfrani was honored in the category Litigation - Intellectual Property.  Michael Friedland was named in the categories Litigation - Intellectual Property and Trademark Law. Lauren Katzenellenbogen was named in three categories: Litigation - Intellectual Property, Trademark Law, and Copyright Law. Nicole Townes was named in the category Litigation - Intellectual Property.

Three lawyers were named "Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch." Steven Friedland and David Kim were named in the category Litigation - Patent. Matt Pham was named in the category Intellectual Property Law.  

August 8, 2026 -- Joe Cianfrani, Lauren Katzenellenbogen, Michael Friedland, and Matt Pham were named as 2027 Southern California Super Lawyers.  

Cianfrani was selected in the IP Litigation and Appellate practice areas. It was the 17th time he was honored.  Katzenellenbogen was selected in IP Litigation and Intellectual Property (18th year), and Friedland in IP Litigation (22nd year). Pham was selected as a "Rising Star" in IP Litigation and Intellectual Property.

July 31, 2026 -- Lauren Katzenellenbogen was quoted in the Law360 article, "Comedian Daring Buc-ee's to Sue Takes Dig at Brand Policing" and the ABA Journal article, "HBO's John Oliver Dares Popular Chain Buc-ee's to Sue Him Over Mascot Use."

The articles discussed recent national attention on Buc-ee's for its aggressive trademark enforcement strategy. The company has filed nearly a dozen lawsuits since 2024 against businesses using similar animal logos or names ending in "-ee’s." 

Lauren Katzenellenbogen spoke to the legal necessity driving these actions, emphasizing that companies must police their trademarks against any close imitators—otherwise, failing to enforce their rights allows similar marks into the market, ultimately narrowing their scope of legal protection. The article noted Katzenellenbogen’s prior representation of Monster Energy, a company known for its aggressive policing strategy.

Read the full Law360 article here (subscription required). Read the full ABA Journal article here.

July 23, 2026 – Michael Friedland was recently quoted in the Law360 article, “6 Copyright Cases to Watch in the Second Half of 2026.” The article looks at the most notable copyright cases attorneys are watching for the rest of the year, with Friedland commenting on Sedlik v. von Drachenberg, an appeal over a verdict finding that tattoo artist Kat Von D did not infringe Jeffrey Sedlik’s portrait of Miles Davis. 

The verdict was upheld by a three-judge panel in January; however, two of the judges criticized the subjective “intrinsic” portion of the Ninth Circuit’s test asking jurors to compare the total concept and feel of the work.

Friedland told Law360 that the intrinsic part of the analysis gives jurors little guidance about how they should compare the works. 

"When you're telling the jurors to make a 'holistic' comparison about the 'total concept and the feel,' it sounds like you're asking the jury just to guess as to what it's supposed to do," he said.

Read the full Law360 article here (subscription required). 

July 22, 2026 - Friedland Cianfrani partner David Kim was recently quoted in the Law360 article, “4 Patent Cases to Watch in the Second Half of 2026.” Kim discussed Range of Motion Products v. Armaid, in which Range of Motion has asked the full Federal Circuit to review a panel decision that cleared Armaid of infringing a massage device design patent. 

In its argument, Range of Motion contends the appeals court used a design patent infringement standard that is not aligned with the Supreme Court precedent. This is similar to concerns raised by Federal Circuit Chief Judge Kimberly Moore.

Kim told Law360 that Judge Moore's observation on that point "could very well be an issue later on in a subsequent appeal" since it raises the question of whether Federal Circuit decisions have "led the case law astray" from Supreme Court's precedent on design patent infringement. 

Read the full Law360 article here (subscription required).

July 15, 2026 - Michael Friedland was quoted by Law360 in its recent article, "The Biggest Copyright Rulings of 2026: A Midyear Report."  The article featured several important copyright cases, including  American Society for Testing and Materials v. UpCodes Inc.  

In that case, the Third Circuit held that a website's reproduction of ASTM building codes constituted "fair use," defeating ASTM's claim for copyright infringement on a request for a preliminary injunction. Friedland told Law360 that the appellate court applied the traditional test for fair use to reach the right result in the context of important public policy.

Read the full Law360 article here (subscription required).

June 30, 2026 -  Nicole Townes was recently quoted in the Law360 article, “Justices Look to Shed Light on Jury Role in Pepsi TM Battle,” discussing the Supreme Court’s decision to hear the trademark fight between Pepsi Co and Rise Brewing over Pepsi’s ‘Mtn Dew Rise Energy’ drink.

Townes told Law360 she could see why the justices are interested in the case because the Second Circuit’s decision appeared to depart from how other courts handle the inherent strength inquiry.

“I was just working on this recently, doing jury instructions for a trademark case [in the Ninth Circuit],” she said. “There’s a jury instruction on determining the strength of the mark. So that’s typically a question for the jury.”

She went on to say the justices’ ruling could have its clearest impact at the summary judgment stage.

“My experience has typically been that it’s difficult to get summary judgment in a trademark infringement case because of this issue that it’s a very factual inquiry,” she said.

Read the full Law360 article here (subscription required).

June 30, 2026 -  Michael Friedland was recently quoted in the Bloomberg Law article, “Pepsi to Defend Defeat of ‘Rise’ Trademark Win at High Court.” The article examines the Supreme Court’s decision to hear RiseandShine’s appeal from an adverse decision in its trademark lawsuit against PepsiCo over “MTN Dew Rise” from the Second Circuit. 

The lower courts entered judgment against RiseandShine, holding that the RISE trademark was weak as a matter of law. At the trial court and on appeal, RiseandShine argued that the question of the strength or weakness of the mark was factual and should have been decided by a jury. 

Friedland told Bloomberg Law that, although he was surprised that the Supreme Court decided to accept the case, he was glad that it did so that there would uniformity nationwide. “There’s a big difference between the circuits,” he said, noting that in the Ninth Circuit, where he primarily practices, the law is clear that issues regarding likelihood of confusion are “very factual.”

Friedland noted that the U.S. Solicitor General had urged the Supreme Court not to accept the appeal. “I can see the solicitor general’s point of view because he doesn’t work in IP law. But I do,” Friedland said, noting the importance of the case to trademark practitioners.

You can read the full Bloomberg Law article here (subscription required).

June 25, 2026 - Matt Pham was elected to the Board of Directors of the Howard Markey Intellectual Property American Inn of Court. 

June 19, 2026 - The Daily Journal reported on Rachel Zacuto's move to the Friedland Cianfrani.

June 18, 2026 - Lauren Katzenellenbogen, Nicole Townes, and Michael Friedland were named to the by Lawdragon to its 500 Leading Global IP Lawyers guide.  

Lauren Katzenellenbogen was selected in the categories of IP Litigation, Patent, and Trademark. Nicole Townes was selected in the category Brand Protection & Trademark Strategy, and Michael Friedland was selected in the category IP Enforcement.

The list honors select legal professionals in the intellectual property community. According to Lawdragon, its selections are based on journalistic research, editorial vetting, and peer nominations. 

For more information, visit Lawdragon here.

June 2, 2026 - The firm is proud to welcome Rachel Zacuto as a trademark and litigation associate. 

Rachel brings her experience in trademark prosecution, intellectual property litigation, and general business litigation to firm.  

"Rachel's such a great fit for us," said Nicole Townes, the chair of the firm's trademark practice. "We've known Rachel since she was a law student, and she impressed us even then. We love that she has great trademark and litigation experience. She's going to hit the ground running." 

Rachel received her law degree from the Vanderbilt University Law School in 2022 and her undergraduate degree in Communications from the University of Southern California in 2016.

Prior to joining the firm, Rachel was a trademark associate with Knobbe Martens in its Irvine, California office.

May 27, 2026 - Law360 quoted partner Michael Friedland in its article, "Experienced Hires Overtook Law School Recruiting in 2025."  The article noted a report showing that law firms hired more experienced associates than recent law school graduates.  

The report also indicated that the shift away from on-campus interviewing led to a significant decrease in the in large law firm hiring from less prestigious law schools.  Friedland told Law360 that the impact on candidates from less prestigious law schools was not surprising. "A candidate's opportunity to make a great impression is in person. That's where you see that the candidate really is extraordinary and get a chance to appreciate the candidate's intangible qualities. By taking away on-campus interviewing, we're taking from that great candidate the opportunity to make that great impression."

Read the full article in Law360 here (subscription required).

May 1, 2026 - Orange Coast Magazine named partner Michael Friedland in its 2026 Best of O.C. Legal guide in the category of Intellectual Property Litigation. Friedland was one of only five IP litigators in Orange County recognized in the published list.

For more information, visit Orange Coast Magazine here.

April 14, 2026 - Friedland Cianfrani LLP has been ranked in the Chambers USA California Spotlight Guide 2026 and recognized as a leading medium-sized to small law firm offering a credible alternative to Big Law. Chambers is widely recognized as the "gold standard" among law firm ranking services.

The firm was selected based on an independent and in-depth market analysis, coupled with an assessment of the firm's experience, expertise and caliber of talent. Chambers noted the firm's "expert IP litigation practice."

"We've worked really hard to build a firm that would attract the best lawyers and clients, and we're so gratified to be listed by Chambers alongside other great law firms," said co-founding partner Michael Friedland. "We're proud to be in such good company."

For more information, visit the Chambers website here.

May 14, 2026 - Friedland Cianfrani LLP partner Nicole Townes spoke on a panel that examined the "Current State of the Failure-to-Function Doctrine," focusing on how recent decisions are reshaping what can (and cannot) serve as a trademark.

Using the Federal Circuit’s 2025 decision in In re Brunetti and the district court rulings in Penn State v. Vintage Brand as anchors, the program reviewed recent precedents involving slogans, social messages, and Internet memes (including  In re Lizzo LLC and other commonplace-phrase cases), as well as litigated disputes where defendants have asserted failure-to-function as a defense to infringement cases (including Vintage Brand, as well as other recent decisions like Top Brand v. Cozy Comfort).

The session emphasized practical takeaways for brand owners and in-house counsel: how examining attorneys are using marketplace evidence to support refusals; how failure-to-function interacts with related doctrines like ornamentation and genericness; and what prosecution,  clearance, and enforcement strategies can mitigate risk and build a  record to either avoid or overcome these refusals in a post-Brunetti  landscape. 

For more information, visit the AIPLA Spring Meeting website here.

April 2, 2026 - Friedland Cianfrani LLP partner Nicole Townes was recently quoted in the Law360 article, “Justice’s Cox Decision Fuels Debate Over DMCA’s Relevance.” The article explores the recent Supreme Court decision in Cox Communications, Inc.  v. Sony Music Entertainment, with the court shielding Cox from contributory copyright liability and sparking debate over the Digital Millennium Copyright Act’s safe harbor provision. 

Townes told Law360 the Cox decision may play out differently depending on the type of service provider at issue, particularly where companies have more information about users than ISPs.

“I think rights owners are really going to have to think about going after the actual infringer,” she said. “This opinion certainly makes it hard to find an ISP liable.” 

Townes added that the ruling may force copyright owners to plead more specific facts showing encouragement of infringement or platform involvement, rather than relying on theories built around notices and inaction alone. She also noted that the court’s decision could compel rights holders to rely on business relationships with platforms to curb infringement outside the courtroom.

"It's definitely frustrating for rights owners because it can be a game of Whack-A-Mole, just going after these one-off infringers, but it seems like that's probably — at least certainly in the context of ISPs — going to be the best case," Townes said. 

Read the full article in Law360 here (subscription required). 

April 2, 2026 - Nicole Townes, partner with Friedland Cianfrani LLP, was recently quoted in the USA Today article, “Is Trump Profiting Off America’s 250th? Ethics Groups Question Merch.” 

The article looks at new merchandise listed on the Trump Store related to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence this July. There have been several trademark applications filed related to the 250th celebration, though they have not yet received approvals.

Townes told USA Today, it typically takes the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which Trump oversees as president, between 18 and 24 months to approve marks. Most companies, Townes said, do sell items with their trademark before their application is approved.

Read the full article here. 

March 27, 2026 - Law360 quoted Michael Friedland in its article, "Injunction Constraints Impede Utility Patent Counterfeit Cases," published on March 27, 2026. A federal judge in Texas refused to freeze assets of alleged infringers in a so-called "Schedule A" case brought against multiple patent infringers. The practice of freezing assets has been commonly employed by plaintiffs in Schedule A cases in trademark cases. 

Friedland explained that orders freezing assets are more justifiable in trademark and copyright cases, which allow a plaintiff to seek monetary damages as part of equitable relief. A plaintiff in a utility patent case, however, cannot seek an equitable remedy that includes monetary damages.

 Bloomberg Law, The Hollywood Reporter and LA Times quoted Michael Friedland in stories on the Supreme Court's decision in Cox v. Sony. The Supreme Court held that ISPs are only liable for copyright infringement if they intentionally induce or contribute to infringement, essentially adapting patent law precedent to copyright law.  

“The decision means that the Supreme Court isn’t coming to the entertainment industry’s rescue,” said attorney Michael K. Friedland. “The copyright infringement problem is a technological problem. The modern internet makes infringement really easy. The decision means that the industry is going to have to solve the problem itself — by developing its own better technology to protect its intellectual property.”

Joe Cianfrani, Michael Friedland, and Lauren Katzenellenbogen were named in the 2026 Southern California Super Lawyers guide in the category of Intellectual Property Litigation.  It's the 15th time that Cianfrani was named to the list, the 19th time for Friedland, and the 14th time for Katzenellenbogen. 

The firm is proud to announce that David Kim was appointed to the Merit Selection Panel for the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. The members of the panel advise the judges of the Central District on the appointment and retention of U.S. Magistrate Judges. David previously served as a law clerk to the Hon. Dale S. Fischer of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. 

 On February 6, 2026, the Daily Journal featured Lauren Katzenellenbogen's move to the firm. 

 World Trademark Review named Lauren Katzenellenbogen to the 2026 edition of the WTR 1000: the World’s Leading Trademark Professionals guide for enforcement and litigation. The 2025 edition of the report wrote: “Lauren delivers sharp, concise and insightful legal opinions that empower her clients to make informed decisions. She provides excellent assessments on the risks of trademark litigation.” 

 On January 22, 2026, Michael Friedland spoke at the University of Utah SJ Quinney School of Law on "ITC, IP, and the Supreme Court" on a panel with Professors Jonas Anderson and Jorge Contreras. 

Friedland Cianfrani welcomes senior litigator Lauren Katzenellenbogen as its newest Partner.

Katzenellenbogen joins the firm from national IP boutique Knobbe Martens, where she was a long-time litigation partner and chair of its Consumer Products Practice Group. 

“Lauren’s a superstar, and she adds tremendous depth to our firm. She’s a brilliant IP lawyer,” said partner Joe Cianfrani. “She’s been a first chair at trial, argued before the Federal Circuit, and managed every type of IP case. There are very few IP lawyers of her caliber and experience in the country, and we’re incredibly fortunate that she chose to join us.”

Katzenellenbogen said that she is excited for her role at her new firm. “I’m reuniting with lawyers I respect and worked with throughout my career. I love the firm’s drive and energy, and I’m excited for the chance to help build a firm that’s completely focused and growing.”

Her practice includes high-stakes patent cases and trademark enforcement, including counterfeiting claims. She has represented clients in federal courts nationwide, including as a first chair trial attorney, on appeal before the U.S. Federal Circuit Court of Appeal, and before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Clients have ranged from emerging startups to global brands, including Oakley, Monster Energy, Tesla, NASCAR, Bon-Ton Stores, Razor, Volcom, Mexicana Airlines, and I-Flow Corp.

Katzenellenbogen is a graduate of Harvard Law School. She received her degree in Civil Engineering from Duke University and is a registered patent attorney.

She is a former president of the Orange County Intellectual Property Law Association, the former chair of the Orange County Bar Association’s Intellectual Property Law Section and is the current Vice-Chair of the American Intellectual Property Law Association’s Trademark Law Committee.

 Law360 quoted Nicole Townes in its article, "McConaughey Not 'Alright Alright Alright' With AI Fakes," published on January 15, 2026.  The article can be seen here.  

The ABA's publication, Law Practice Today, featured Friedland Cianfrani in its article, "Striking Out on Your Own: A Boutique Roundtable," published on October 3, 2025. Michael Friedland was asked, "What's the best thing about working in and running a small firm?" He answered, "[I]t's being able to do the work that you want to do, and to be really proud of it, without a lot of distractions that come with being part of a large firm. . . . It's the freedom to do the work the way you'd like to do it."

Best Lawyers recognized three Friedland Cianfrani lawyers in its 32nd edition released on August 21, 2025. Best Lawyers named David Kim in "Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch" in Litigation-Patent, Matt Pham in "Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch" in Intellectual Property, and Michael Friedland in "Best Lawyers in America" in Litigation-Intellectual Property.

The firm is proud to welcome Steven Friedland as a litigation associate. Steven is a third-generation litigator.  He joins the firm immediately after completing his clerkship with the Hon. Gary Klausner of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles.

Steven broadens the firm's already strong technical background with his computer science degree, and he compliments the firm's already commanding IP litigation capability with his recent federal clerkship and his prior IP litigation experience.  

"We couldn't wait for Steven to get here. He has great technical expertise, great IP litigation experience, and the broad exposure to every aspect of litigation that you can only get from a federal district court clerkship," Joe Cianfrani said.

He added: "We've already doubled in size this year -- Steven is our third new attorney since January. Although we're growing quickly, we want to make sure that we grow smoothly. It's much easier to do when we're hiring great lawyers that we already know."

Steven received his law degree from the University of Southern California in 2021, where he served as Executive Editor of the Southern California Interdisciplinary Law Journal. He received his undergraduate degree in Computer Science from the University of Michigan in 2018.

Prior to his clerkship, Steven was a litigation associate with Knobbe Martens in its Irvine, California office.

Michael Friedland presented at the Orange County Bar Association's Deposition Workshop on Advanced Deposition Topics on August 6, 2025 with Ryan Fawaz of Katten Muchin. The panel focused on taking and defending expert depositions.

On July 23, 2025, Law360 published Michael Friedland's article, Law School's Missed Lessons: Skillful Persuasion.

"With a few decades of litigation practice, I've learned something that I missed in law school, and that many other law students likely miss as well: My job is rarely to argue.

"Arguing often makes adversaries defensive. It often challenges them to dig in — or become more aggressive in their positions. As a lawyer, my job is to convince an adversary to give my client what they want. That is, to persuade."

On June 30, 2025, Michael Friedland was quoted by Packaging Digest in its article, "Mondelez Sues Aldi for Copycat Packaging in Landmark Case."  Mondelez recently sued discount grocer Aldi alleging infringement of Mondelez' packaging for products such as Oreos and Chips Ahoy! 

“'If Mondelez continue[s] to tolerate private label makers mimicking their packaging, Mondelez will lose any argument that the packaging design has enforceable trade dress rights,' [Friedland] says, noting that trademark law requires brand owners to “police” the marketplace for companies that infringe on their trade dress. 'If the brands allow third parties to make widespread use of the copied packaging, the trade dress rights evaporate. And the longer a brand waits to enforce its rights, the weaker those rights become.'” 

On June 13, 2025, the Daily Journal featured Matt Pham's move to the firm. "Pham brings a dual background in engineering and law to his practice."  His engineering experience "sparked his interest in intellectual property."

On June 17, 2025, Law360 quoted David Kim and Michael Friedland in its article, "School's Out: Summer Reading Picks for IP Attorneys."

Kim recommended "The Dispossessed" by Ursula K. Le Guin. The book, "explores contrasting societal views on ownership and intellectual property, prompting critical examination of traditional IP incentives and the ethical implications of controlling knowledge," Kim said.

Friedland recommended "The Caine Mutiny" by Herman Wouk. "The book is the classic tale of the crew of a Navy ship attempting to manage an egotistical, erratic, insecure and largely incompetent captain," Friedland said. "Most large firm associates will identify with the crew — and will recognize the personality type of the captain."

The article can be viewed here.

On June 16, 2025, the Orange County Register noted IP litigator Matt Pham's move to the firm.