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Joel G. MacMull

Joel G. MacMull is a Member and Vice Chair of the Firm’s Intellectual Property & Brand Management and Commercial and Corporate Litigation Practice Groups. Joel’s practice focuses on high-stakes complex commercial litigation and intellectual property disputes, including copyright and trademark infringement, trade secret misappropriation, false advertising, “cybersquatting,” rights of publicity, as well as general contract and business tort disputes. Joel has tried and argued cases in state and federal courts, as well as before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.

Joel also has significant appellate experience. He was intimately involved in the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent landmark decision in Matal v. Tam (formerly Lee v. Tam), in which the Supreme Court by a unanimous vote of 8-to-0 (Justice Neil Gorsuch did not participate in the consideration or decision of the case) affirmed the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruling in late 2015. The High Court held that § 2(a) of the federal trademark statute violates the free speech clause of the First Amendment because the government discriminates based on viewpoint and targets offensive expression with an intent to discourage its use.

Joel has also briefed and argued multiple cases before the Second Circuit, and the New York Appellate Division.

Representative Clients include:

  • America Online, Inc.
  • The Princeton Club of New York
  • Mul-T-Lock USA, Inc.
  • Symphony Publishing NY, LLC
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
  • PlentyofFish.com

 Areas of Practice

  • Intellectual Property and Brand Management
  • Commercial and Corporate Litigation

Admissions

  • New York
  • Supreme Court of the United States
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
  • United States District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York

Education

  • The University of British Columbia, LL.M.
  • New England School of Law, J.D.

Professional Affiliations

  • Federal Bar Association 
  • Federal Bar Council 
  • Association of the Bar of the City of New York 
  • New York Intellectual Property Law Association 
  • International Trademark Association 
  • American Intellectual Property Law Association 
  • Volunteer Arbitrator, New York City Small Claims Court 

Awards

  • Recipient, International Trademark Association’s (INTA) 2017 Volunteer Service Award for Pro Bono Services Provided by an Organization for services provided in connection with Matal v. Tam
Practice Areas
Commercial Law
Commercial Litigation Law
Corporate Law
Intellectual Property Law
Litigation