Daniel C. Neustadt
Partner
Overview
Daniel C. Neustadt secures, protects and enforces clients' intellectual property rights in the United States and abroad. Based in Washington, D.C., his practice focuses on trademark and copyright matters and encompasses federal copyright and trademark infringement litigation, administrative proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP) arbitrations, global trademark clearance, prosecution and enforcement, copyright counseling, prosecution and enforcement, and maintenance and management of intellectual property portfolios.
A professional musician, Mr. Neustadt has recorded and toured internationally with various rock bands and performed on The Colbert Report and Late Night with David Letterman, among other television programs. Mr. Neustadt also formerly worked as an editor for various media publications and managed his own entertainment law practice, providing him with experience in legal issues related to the media and entertainment industries. The World Trademark Review, which has recognized Mr. Neustadt as one of the 1,000 Best Global Trademark Attorneys since 2019, lauds his "first-hand understanding of the creative process," describing him as an attorney who "really gets" clients' "needs, desires and values." In that vein, Mr. Neustadt also serves as a member of the Artists Rights Alliance (ARA) Music Council, alongside such luminaries as Elvis Costello and Mary Chapin Carpenter.
Mr. Neustadt's work also has an international focus, which is informed by his role as lead counsel of the Trademark Working Group, an ad-hoc collective of numerous Fortune 500 companies that produces an annual Global Trademark Report Card and briefs various U.S. government agencies on trademark developments around the globe. Mr. Neustadt also maintains an active pro bono practice, capped by his position on the Advisory Council of Tzedek DC, a pro bono legal services nonprofit working to safeguard the legal rights of low-income Washington, D.C., residents burdened by debt.
Mr. Neustadt has experience litigating matters of first impression concerning the digital distribution of media. He has successfully defended numerous high-profile music and media copyright litigations and also successfully defended a Fortune 500 publisher against trademark and copyright infringement claims.
Representative Experience
- Managed international clearance searches for major telecommunications company encompassing dozens of candidate company names, word marks and design marks in more than 40 countries around the world for rebranding of client's global telematics business
- Managed global clearance efforts for launch of hotel brand that a major hospitality client had acquired; the clearance efforts involved negotiation and dispute resolution with scores of third-parties in dozens of jurisdictions to clear path for development of new and converted properties
- Successfully defended media company and celebrity owner against claims of copyright infringement by former partner/celebrity photographer; secured pre-discovery summary judgment on all claims against all defendants
- Brought successful trademark infringement claim on behalf of U.S. manufacturer of wireline logging tools for the oil and gas industry against former licensor; secured favorable settlement and transfer of international trademark rights to client
Credentials
- New York University School of Law, J.D.
- Northwestern University, B.M., Jazz Studies
- Northwestern University, B.A., Writing, magna cum laude
- District of Columbia
- New York
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- International Trademark Association, Copyright Committee, 2022-2023, Internet Committee, 2018-2021
- American Bar Association, Section of Intellectual Property Law
- Artists Rights Alliance Music Council
- Tzedek DC, Advisory Council
- World Trademark Review 1000, 2019-2023
- World Trademark Review 1000 - Individuals: Prosecution and Strategy (DC Metro Area), 2020-2023 - Bronze ranking (DC Metro)
- Holland & Knight Pro Bono All-Star, 2020, 2021
- Phi Beta Kappa
- Pi Kappa Lambda