Experience

 

Before opening his own private practice in 2008, Ken served as Assistant General Counsel to Nike, Inc. from 1999 to 2006. For seven years, he directed the global trademark practice of one of the world’s leading brands. Ken was responsible for protecting Nike’s multi-billion dollar international trademark portfolio (which includes the famous Nike, Swoosh design, Jumpman (Michael Jordan) design and Just Do It trademarks). Ken managed international disputes and litigation, negotiated acquisitions and licenses, made clearance decisions on thousands of proposed trademarks, logos, slogans & product designs, educated Nike’s global workforce about marketing & legal issues, advised Nike executives & subsidiaries (Converse, Cole Haan, Bauer Hockey), and worked with professional & collegiate sports leagues, federations & athletes.

​​

Before joining Nike, Ken served as Trademark & Commercial Counsel to Silicon Graphics, Inc. from 1991-98. Silicon Graphics’ innovative computer graphics technology made it one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent & successful companies during the mid-1990’s. (See Business Week ’94 cover story.) For seven years, Ken handled trademark, trade dress, copyright, advertising, licensing, right of publicity & product placement issues for Silicon Graphics and its subsidiaries (Cray Research, Alias/Wavefront, MIPS Technologies), and negotiated technology transactions. Silicon Graphics (from which Netscape later sprang) was also an innovator in (then-emerging) web technologies, and Ken was one of the first attorneys extensively to address Internet-related trademark issues.

​

Prior to joining these Fortune 500 companies, Ken served clients with two leading San Francisco law firms. He litigated disputes involving best-selling books, hit movies, albums & songs, software & trade secrets (see selected rulings here), and helped clear, acquire & register trademarks for technology companies, professional sports teams, wineries & other businesses.

​

Ken has built a national reputation as a lecturer & commentator, particularly on cutting-edge branding & marketing issues. He has appeared on CNBC, and spoken at leading conferences such as the USC Intellectual Property Law Institute, the National Sports Law Institute at Marquette University, the Association of Corporate Counsel, the National Bar Association, & the International Trademark Association Annual & Leadership meetings and Advanced Practitioners Program. Ken is an Emeritus Member of the International Trademark Association.  Articles about Ken’s work have appeared in The American Lawyer, The National Law Journal, Corporate Legal Times, The Recorder & other publications.

​

Education

 

Ken is a graduate of Boston University School of Law, where he served as Editor of the Boston University Law Review. He earned a Bachelor of Arts cum laude from the State University of New York at Albany, and is a graduate of Manhattan’s Stuyvesant High School.

 

Bar & Court Admissions

 

Ken is a member of the State Bars of California and Oregon.  He is admitted to practice before the United States District Courts for the Northern & Central Districts of California and the District of Oregon, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

 

Personal Background

 

Prior to entering law, Ken was a musician, satirist, and Arts Editor of Albany's Metroland Magazine. He lives in the Portland, Oregon area with his family, where he has enjoyed coaching youth soccer and basketball, being active in community affairs, and still plays an occasional gig. He has also been a contributing writer to The Sondheim Review.

​

​