Four New Judges Appointed to TTAB

The TTAB has announced the appointment of four new Administrative Trademark Judges, bringing the total to 23, by my count.

Michael Adlin has served the TTAB for more than five years as an Interlocutory Attorney and authored thirteen precedential decisions—a substantial number—during such time. Mr. Adlin also has experience with international issues gained during his tenure in the USPTO’s Office of External Affairs; and he has broad and deep understanding of stakeholder issues gained during his many years engaged in the private practice of trademark and copyright law before he joined the USPTO. This private practice experience included service as an associate in the Washington, D.C. office of Arter Hadden, as a partner in the Manatt law firm’s D.C. office, and in an of counsel position in the D.C. office of the former Piper Rudnick law firm, where he managed the trademark and copyright section. Mr. Adlin earned his J.D. degree from the Boston University School of Law and his bachelor’s degree from Duke University.

Francie R. Gorowitz returns to the USPTO, where she started her career in trademark law as an examining attorney, from her position as partner in the Beverly Hills, California office of Rosenfeld, Meyer & Sussman, LLP. In total, Ms. Gorowitz has spent more than 25 years in the private practice of intellectual property law. Her law firm experience includes 15 years with the Los Angeles office of Ladas & Parry, where she became a partner, four years with the L.A. office of O’Melveny & Myers, LLP, and more than four years in the L.A. office of Katten Muchin Rosenmann LLP, where she also became a partner. Ms. Gorowitz has counseled clients on a wide range of IP matters and is well versed in the procedural and substantive matters that arise in TTAB ex parte appeals and inter partes trial cases. She has frequently lectured on trademark issues and TTAB practice, including in conjunction with current and former TTAB ATJs. She is a graduate of the Albany Law School of Union University and earned her bachelor’s degree at the State University of New York at Cortland.

Susan J. Hightower is both a trademark litigator and journalist, having worked as a reporter and editor before turning her attention to the law. Ms. Hightower’s writing and editing skills served her well when she worked on various amicus briefs for the International Trademark Association and the American Intellectual Property Law Association. She comes to the Board from a position as partner and founding attorney with the Austin, Texas firm of Pirkey Barber PLLC, a firm devoted to trademark law. Previously, Ms. Hightower served as a senior associate with the firm of Fulbright & Jaworski LLP, also in Austin. Following her graduation from law school, she served as a clerk for the Hon Jacques L. Wiener, Jr. of the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Her practice of trademark law has focused substantially on litigation in federal trial and appellate courts and this experience will be a significant addition to the TTAB. Ms. Hightower, too, has been a frequent author and lecturer on trademark and TTAB issues and has worked with TTAB judges and attorneys in completing such assignments. She is a graduate of the Stanford Law School, where she was on the law review, has an M.A. in Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin, and a bachelor’s degree from Austin College.

Anthony R. Masiello comes to the Board from his position as senior counsel at the Washington, DC office of Holland & Knight LLP, and will bring diverse experience in business law and intellectual property law to the TTAB. A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, Mr. Masiello practiced business law with firms in New York (Winthrop, Stimson, Putnam & Roberts) and Boston (Palmer & Dodge) after receiving his law degree. He then began his concentration on intellectual property matters and trademarks by joining the USPTO as a trademark examining attorney. While at the USPTO he completed a career development detail with the TTAB. In his subsequent private practice, in the Washington, DC offices of Gadsby Hannah LLP and Holland & Knight, he has counseled clients on ex parte registrability issues, business and technology settlements, and on the merits of district court and TTAB litigation.