Stephen G. Janoski, a partner of the firm, has extensive experience in representing technology and entertainment companies in the procurement, launch, protection, and licensing of proprietary interests and rights. His practice includes counseling and litigation involving trademarks, copyrights, domain names, unfair competition such as comparative advertising, and infringement matters, as well as inter partes proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He routinely implements and maintains strategic filings to protect brands and related intellectual property rights both in the U.S. and on a virtually worldwide basis.
Mr. Janoski has also prepared and negotiated numerous agreements for technology companies relating to e-commerce and software, including development, licensing, distribution and support, as well as employment issues bearing on the creation, development, confidentiality, and commercialization of intellectual property.
In addition to litigation involving entertainment properties, Mr. Janoski’s day-to-day practice for entertainment interests include the following:
- Character licensing and character merchandising agreements
- Artistic joint venture and collaboration agreements
- Creative endeavor employment, work for hire, and “talent” agreements and releases for motion pictures and sound tracks
- Celebrity endorsement and celebrity appearance agreements
- Motion picture and merchandise “tie-in” agreements
- Book publishing agreements
- Agreements with authors and publishing houses for audiovisual and film adaptation of published literary works
- Counseling of authors, musicians and filmmakers concerning 1st Amendment and intellectual property legal issues
- Copyright clearance and registration of music, literary and audiovisual works, and films
- Sound recording and music composition clearance with Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) and SEASAC, Inc.
Mr. Janoski also frequently lectures and writes articles for publication on a range of topical intellectual property legal subjects.
Education
University of Baltimore School of Law, J.D.
University of Pennsylvania, B.A.
Professional Affiliations
Member, American Intellectual Property Law Association
Member, Intellectual Property Institute of Canada
Member, International Trademark Association
Member, Licensing Executives Society
Bar & Court Admissions
District of Columbia
Maryland
New York
Pennsylvania
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office