Stephen Lee is Chief IP Counsel at Target and has been with Target for the past 21 years. His practice covers the entire spectrum of IP matters. Particularly rewarding is the fact that his team provides legal services and advice to practically every business team within Target and has touched almost every one of Target’s key strategic initiatives. He manages a team of 22 and has first-hand experience leading his team through the ups and downs of the retail landscape transformation. Prior to joining Target, Stephen practiced law as a partner at Fish & Richardson and Faegre & Benson both in Minneapolis. Stephen is a proud graduate of the University of Texas where he received both his B.A. and J.D. degrees.
For a retailer like Target, launching own brands is a crucial part of the business model. From home goods to apparel, each own brand is in essence a standalone business in need of a marketing campaign, labelling, packaging and of course, a trademark to protect its assets. However, following their inability to register a trademark for a new brand, Target discovered a systemic problem: the successful registrations of thousands of fraudulent trademark applications. This emerging threat poses a significant issue for professionals – with a backlogged office and trademarks blocked by prior – fraudulent – applications, legitimate trademark owners are accruing significant costs and resources. Join this session to discover how Target, one of the leading trademark filers domestically and globally, has tackled this issue and is actively raising awareness to ensure the necessary steps are taken to manage fraudulent activity.
Check out the incredible speaker line-up to see who will be joining Stephen.
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