Photo of Jake Abdo

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I got my first taste of trademark law when I (with assistance of counsel) prepared and filed a trademark application for my band’s name, LYNHURST (in standard characters) in Class 41. I learned about branded merchandise by screen-printing our band logo on T-shirts and selling them after shows. From this experience, I learned that Intellectual Property law is a key ingredient in making a living in art…that, and talent.

Throughout high school and college, my band would tour in the summers and perform locally during the school months. One summer, while showcasing at the Viper Room in Hollywood, the band was discovered by a New York manager and talent agent. After that, we dropped out of college and spent the next three years recording, touring and eating peanut butter sandwiches in our van. Not glamorous, but we had fun. We got to share the stage with Hanson, Owl City, Sheryl Crow, and a bunch of acts that you’ve never heard of. One of our songs was featured in a major motion picture starring Brooke Shields and Kris Kristofferson.

After three years on the road, the band decided to call it quits and go back to college. I earned a B.A. from the University of Minnesota and a J.D. from Mitchell Hamline School of Law.

As a trademark attorney at Greenberg Traurig, I work with famous brands and celebrities to protect, monetize and enhance the value of their IP. My practice focuses on brand management, trademark maintenance, and IP licensing. I also advise on a variety of entertainment industry matters. My clients include RIAA gold and platinum musicians, celebrity brands, and legacy music estates. It may sound like a long way from touring with a rock band, but there’s more overlap than you’d think.

While I let the LYNHURST registration expire, I still sing most every night to my favorite audience, my wife and our young son.

When you hear “PURPLE RAIN,” what’s the first thing that comes to your mind?

An iconic album …

A genre-defining film …

The late musical genius from Minnesota…

In a precedential decision, NPG Records, LLC and Paisley Park Enterprises, LLC v. JHO Intellectual Property Holdings LLC, 2022 USPQ2d 770 (TTAB 2022) (link)