Jed Ferdinand is Partner and Co-Chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Group, and is a leading authority in IP commercialization and protection in the fashion, consumer products and technology industries. Mr. Ferdinand’s work on IP asset sales and financing, licensing, valuation and entrepreneurship form the core of his legal practice, his work as a consultant and expert witness, and his role as an Adjunct Professor at Fordham Law School in New York.
Mr. Ferdinand began his career as a litigation attorney in New York with Chadbourne & Parke. He also worked at leading international firms Brobeck Phleger & Harrison and Graham & James, and was a partner with Grimes & Battersby, LLP, an intellectual property boutique law firm located in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Most recently Mr. Ferdinand was Senior Managing Partner and founder of Ferdinand IP Law Group with offices in New York, California and Connecticut.
Transactional Practice
Jed handles IP asset sales, company M&A transactions and IP financing transactions in the fashion, consumer products, entertainment and technology industries.
Jed has negotiated hundreds of license agreements and has worked on some of the most successful licensing and merchandising programs of the past decades for celebrities, famous brands and some of the largest companies in the world that have resulted in billions of dollars of retail sales worldwide. His clients have included Pepsi, John Deere, Iconix Brand Group, Entertainment One Group, Nitro Circus, Lands’ End, Joseph Abboud, Jessica Simpson, Sylvester Stallone, Nina Agdal, Dwight Howard, Archie Comics, Kleinfeld Bridal and Vince Camuto, and counterparties to deals have included Serena Williams, Vera Wang, Rachel Roy, Nicole Miller, Bethenny Frankel, Apple, Disney, Marvel Comics, Warner Brothers, Microsoft, Amazon, Tesla, MLB and NFL, among many others.
A longtime cryptocurrency investor, Jed has worked on deals with the Ethereum Foundation and other blockchain platforms on behalf of clients. In the past year, Jed has handled AI content licensing deals for content owners with leading AI Platforms; is working with several companies looking to build out Metaverse platforms; and represents several game studios that will launch Web3 games later this year that allow players to turn their passion for gaming into assets. He presently serves on the Advisory Boards of two blockchain companies, The Data Economics Company and Popularium, Inc.
IP Litigation
Jed has litigated hundreds of intellectual property cases in federal trial and appellate courts throughout the United States, in the US PTO Trademark Trial and Appeal Board and before arbitration panels. During his career, Jed has handled high-profile cases for fashion companies, consumer products manufacturers, brand owners, media companies and celebrities, including PepsiCo, John Deere, Hearst Magazines, Camuto Group, Blue Buffalo Pet Foods, Archie Comics, Authentic Brands Group, Iconix Brand Group, Fashion Nova, Capgemini, MGA Entertainment, Vital Proteins, Oprah Winfrey and Jessica Simpson.
Company Formation
Jed regularly assists founders with forming new entities and with strategic planning and counseling across all legal, business and financial platforms.
IP Protection and Prosecution
Jed also counsels clients regarding the acquisition and exploitation of intellectual property rights, with a particular emphasis on trademark and brand protection. His team currently manages the worldwide trademark and copyright filing programs of several major consumer products companies in more than 100 countries and handles more than 3,000 trademarks worldwide.
IP Valuation
Jed also regularly acts as a consultant for intellectual property asset valuation for a wide variety of corporate, financing, matrimonial, estate and tax matters, and has served as an expert witness in litigation involving contested brand and publicity rights asset valuations. His clients for valuation work have included a litany of some of the most popular rock bands and recording artists of all time, including REM, The Grateful Dead, Chuck Berry, Chris Cornell, Kid Rock, Ric Ocasek, Tony Bennett and Leonard Cohen, and contested proceedings involving Hulk Hogan and Timbaland.
Education
Tulane University School of Law, JD, 1993
Union College, BA, 1989
Admissions
State of New York
State of Connecticut
District of Columbia
U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, the District of Connecticut, the District of Colorado and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second, Fourth, Ninth and Federal Circuit
Honors
Recognized as Top Lawyer in Fairfield County for Intellectual Property by Moffly Media/Greenwich Magazine, 2021
Involvement
Adjunct Professor at Fordham Law School in New York teaching subjects on intellectual property transactions since 2018
Member of the faculty of Licensing International’s Certificate of Licensing Studies Program for licensing professionals.
Member of the Advisory Board of two IP publications:
The Licensing Journal
IP Litigator
Serves on the Advisory Boards of two blockchain companies:
The Data Economics Company
Popularium, Inc.
Speaking Engagements
Speaker, “Digital Assets and Licensing,” Licensing Expo, Las Vegas, (2022)
Speaker, “IP and Digital Asset Valuation,” The Data Economics Conference (2021)
Moderator, “Basics of Licensing Law,” Licensing Expo, Las Vegas (2008-2021)
Speaker, “Legal Aspects of Licensing,” Seoul Character Fair, Seoul, Korea (2015-2017)
Instructor, IP and Licensing Issues, LIMA Certificate of Licensing Studies Program (2011-2018)
Moderator, “IP and Licensing Law,” Univ. of Connecticut Law School, Skills Clinic (2014)
Moderator, “IP and Licensing Law,” Legal Seminar, Munich, Germany (2014)
Instructor, “Merchandising and Character Licensing,” Franklin Pierce Law School, Advanced
Institute of Licensing Studies, Concord, New Hampshire (2009)
Speaker, “Licensing in the Digital Age,” Licensing Executive Society Annual Meeting (2008)
Speaker, “Basics of IP and Licensing,” Licensing Expo, New York, New York (2001-2006)
Speaker, “Basics of IP and Licensing,” New York International Toy Fair, New York, New York (2003-2006)
Instructor, “Anatomy of a License Agreement,” Fordham Law School Licensing Institute (2005)
Speaker, “Merchandise and Character Licensing,” Connecticut Bar Annual Meeting (2003)
Speaker, “Basics of IP and Licensing,” Underfashion Club (2003)
Speaker, “The Legal Aspects of Fashion Licensing,” BAD Fashion Conference (2003)
Publications
“Global Pandemics are why Force Majeure Clauses Exist,” Licensing International (March 2020)
“Joseph Abboud IP Asset Sale Reflects the Modern Fashion Industry,” Fashion Mannuscript (March 2020)
“The Supreme Court’s Rescue Mission for Trademark Licenses in Bankruptcy,” The Licensing Journal (2020)
“The Trouble with “Googling It:” Google’s Fight to Maintain Trademark Rights in its Ubiquitous Name,” The Licensing Journal (2017)
“The 2017 Supreme Court Term in Review,” IP Litigator (2017)
“Free Speech Trumps the Lanham Act,” IP Litigator (2017)
“The Fashion Industry Fights Back,” Fashion Mannuscript (2017)
“Famous Entertainment Properties: Licensing is Key to Legal Protection,” Total Licensing (2017)
“Trademark Licensing,” Licensing Law Update 2017 (Wolters Kluber)
“Trademark Licensing,” Licensing Law Update 2016 (Wolters Kluber)
“Trademarks and Cuba: Key Considerations for U.S. Brand Owners,” Intellectual Property
& Technology Law Journal (2016)
“Recent Developments in Trademark Licensing,” The Licensing Journal (2015)
“Trademark Licensing,” Licensing Law Update 2015 (Wolters Kluber)
“When Celebrities Behave Badly: An Examination of Morals Clauses, LIMA Newsletter (2014)
“Trademark Registrations Matter for Licensing,” The Licensing Journal (2014)
“The Supreme Court Term in Review,” IP Litigator (2014)
“The Erosion of Irreparable Harm in IP Litigation,” IP Litigator (2014)
“Five Overlooked Clauses in License Agreements, LIMA Newsletter (2013)
“Licensing Implications of the 3-D Printing Revolution,” The Licensing Journal (2013)
“Race to Register: The Growing Problem of Trademarks in China,” License India (2012)
“The Importance of Maintaining Brand Standards,” License India (2011)
“Antitrust Concerns in Licensing,” License India (2011)
“The Importance of Quality Control Provisions,” License India (2011)
“Now More Than Ever, Properly Drafted License Agreements are Critical,” License India (2011)
“Negotiating License Agreements from the Licensee’s Perspective,” License India (2011)
“The Importance of Preserving Termination Rights,” License India (2010)
“Drafting License Agreements: Key Considerations for the Licensee,” License India (2009)
Columnist, “Latest Legal,” The Licensing Journal (2001-2010)
Columnist, “Latest Legal” and “Trademark Litigation,” IP Litigator (2001-2010)
Contributor, Patent Disputes: Litigation Forms and Analysis, Wolters Kluwer (2003)
Contributor, Drafting Internet Agreements: Forms and Analysis, Wolters Kluwer (2002)
Contributor, Trademark & Copyright Disputes: Litigation Forms and Analysis, Wolters
Kluwer (2002)
Contributor, License Agreement: Forms & Checklists, Wolters Kluwer (2001)
Columnist, “Trademarks in Cyberspace,” E-Commerce Law Journal (2001)
Knowledge Library
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- Education & Admissions
- Honors & Involvement
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