Laura Topper
Laura Topper counsels clients regarding enforcement and defense strategies in the areas of trademark, trade dress, patents, and copyrights. While Laura’s primary practice is in the area of litigation, she also counsels clients on strategies for identifying potential trademark conflicts and on the negotiation of co-existence or settlement agreements without the need for formal judicial proceedings. Laura has also worked on several trademark prosecution matters.
Primarily, Laura has assisted on litigation teams in the federal courts, including appearances in trademark, copyright, and patent litigations. Within the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Laura has handled cancellation and opposition proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board and aided in interference proceedings before the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences. Laura has also participated in appeals in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Topics of recent litigations on which Laura has worked include copyright infringement, patent infringement / invalidity, infringement / validity of registered and common law trademarks, and unfair competition.
- Assisted in obtaining summary judgment of non-infringement in trademark action, based upon plaintiff’s lack of trademark rights, and successfully defended judgment in appeal before U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
- Assisted in obtaining favorable judgment for biotechnology client in interference and in securing affirmation of judgment by U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
- Assisted in obtaining judgment that newly formed entity did not infringe copyrights on works owned by former employers.
- Obtained summary judgment that software developer client was independent contractor, which entitled developer to partial ownership of copyrights and freedom from infringement claims.
- Negotiated to obtain worldwide co-existence agreement resolving various on-going trademark disputes and securing client’s right to use its trademark in the future.
- Successfully negotiated numerous agreements requiring potential and actual trademark infringers to abandon registration attempts and / or use of marks similar to marks owned by clients.
- On several occasions, succeeded in having litigation filed in locations other than our clients' preferred forum dismissed or transferred.
American Bar Association
American Intellectual Property Law Association
Greater Boston Legal Services
- Firm Captain, Associate’s Drive
Women’s Bar Association
G. Joseph Tauro Scholar
Paul J. Liacos Scholar
Laura has been named one of the Massachusetts Super Lawyers' "Rising Stars" in the field of intellectual property litigation.
While in law school, Laura served as administrative editor of the Boston University Journal of Science and Technology Law.
Laura serves as the Litigation Group’s Continuing Legal Education Coordinator and as a member of the Litigation Technical Committee, which has focused on ways to effectively address the growing demands of electronic discovery. Laura also serves on the firm’s Associates’ Committee and Public Service Committee.
New York University, B.A., Politics, magna cum laude
Boston University School of Law, J.D., cum laude
Massachusetts
U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts
