Michael A. Geller

Michael A. Geller

Partner
About

Michael Geller, an experienced intellectual property lawyer, concentrates in all facets of brand development and protection. From domestic and international trademark and copyright, federal and Trademark Trial and Appeal Board litigation, brand management and counselling, domain name disputes, social media enforcement and counselling, scam activities, and unfair competition law, his deep experience meets brand owners where they are at all stages of growth.

World Trademark Review 1000 consistently recognizes Michael for his top tier abilities, quoting clients who say Michael is "a rising star with an appreciation of brand strategy beyond his years;" "an invaluable resource, offering thoughtful perspectives and actionable legal advice as we juggle our global needs;" "someone to keep on speed dial and an invaluable asset to clients;" and "a media whiz who provides well-thought out counsel on internet law, domain names and social media."

Michael advises multinational clients across industries, including restaurants, hospitality, fitness, business consulting, financial markets, and life sciences. He has helped his clients litigate disputes in courts and administrative agencies in on every populated continent, and he develops, handles, maintains and enforces large intellectual property portfolios. He also works closely with start-up and emerging growth clients, identifying brand development goals and strategies from seed funding stages through product development and roll out both domestically and internationally.

Michael is thought leader in technology, Web3, and NFTs, serving as co-head of the International Trademark Association's groundbreaking white paper on NFTs and being named one Huski.ai's top five attorneys for Web3 trademark filings.

Michael also serves as General Counsel of the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Chicago's largest food bank, in his mission to give back to his adopted hometown. Visit his LinkedIn page for information on trademark news, art law, legal hiring, mentoring, and poor humor.

Bar admissionsIllinois

EXPERIENCE

Representative Cases Include:

  • Le-Vel LLC v. Thrive Market Inc.: Successfully represented e-commerce retailer Thrive Market in a trademark infringement dispute in federal court, which ended in a favorable settlement.
  • The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey v. International Export Import Organization, Inc. and David H. Lee: Successfully represented the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in an opposition against third parties attempting to register the trademark WORLD TRADE CITY.
  • Globeride, Inc. v. K2 Sports, LLC: Successfully represented Globeride, Inc. in an TTAB opposition filed against its primary brand name and logo, resulting in a favorable settlement.
  • Chicago Justice Project v. Cook County State's Attorneys' Office: Represented the non-profit organization Chicago Justice Project in a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, resulting in a favorable settlement.
Education
  • J.D., University of Michigan Law School
  • B.S., Ithaca College

Awards

  • The Legal 500 United States
    • Recommended, Trademarks: Non-Contentious (including Prosecution, Portfolio Management and Licensing) (2023)
    • Recommended, Trademarks: Litigation (2023)
  • Chambers USA
    • Up and Coming, Illinois Intellectual Property: Trademark, Copyright & Trade Secrets (2022-2023)
    • Chambers USA comments, "Michael is an up-and-coming lawyer recognized for his broad trademark and copyright practice. His expertise spans strategy counseling as well as litigation." Clients praise Michael as, "a knowledgeable and strategic attorney."

Recognized by World Trademark Review 1000 as Bronze for "Prosecution and Strategy," the publication describes Michael as " a discerning choice for internet and social media matters: 'Michael is someone to keep on speed dial and an invaluable asset to clients. He keeps commercial objectives and budget concerns in mind and dispenses trusted advice grounded in business practicalities.'" Michael is known for practical and intuitive counseling and strategic guidance for clients seeking online and social media brand protection and enforcement.

Prior Experience

During law school, Michael was a summer associate for DLA Piper, a judicial intern for Judge Judith Gische of the New York Supreme Court, and a law clerk at the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission.

Prior to practicing law, Michael worked in the field of television news as a producer for WGRZ-TV, the NBC affiliate in Buffalo, New York. In his media career, Michael has experience with major market broadcast facilities such as Fox News Channel in New York City and KNBC-TV in Los Angeles, California.

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