Katherine L. McDaniel, Esq.
Intellectual Property Law
5482 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 410
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Direct: (323) 388-7587
Admin: (323) 933-0663
kmcdaniel@kmcdanielesq.com
admin@kmcdanielesq.com
IP Representation Based On
Experience
McDaniel has decades of experience in law firms and in-house with a Fortune 500 company registering, managing and defending intellectual property assets. She has represented new technology start-ups, artists, publishers, sports associations and products, chemical producers, garment manufacturers, software and game developers, building products, and innumerable others.
Recognition
McDaniel served as Chair of the California State Bar Intellectual Property Section and on its Executive Committee, and as a Trustee of the LA Copyright Society. She was named Corporate Lawyer of the Year by the Century City Bar Association.
Approach
While recognizing the importance of intellectual property and the great value in protecting it, McDaniel also understands practical business considerations and provides focused, organized, cost-effective legal advice and representation.
“By providing sound advice and focused efforts, I enjoy many long-term, close client relationships based on trust and respect.”
Areas of Practice
Trademark
A trademark protects brand names. This includes words, symbols, and other elements (such as colors, fragrances, sounds and other distinctive features) which identify the source of the goods or services. Trademarks can last forever so long as they continue to be used as brand names.
Copyright
A copyright protects the original expression of an idea fixed in a tangible medium. Examples: motion pictures; programming for television and cable; musical compositions; books; computer software; advertising copy; advertising jingles; fabric and jewelry designs.
Additional Areas of Practice
Trade Secret
Trade Dress
Deceptive Advertising
Right of Publicity
Right of Privacy
Unfair Competition
“Stealing ideas is more criminal than stealing money.”
- Voltaire
A Few Success Summaries
David v. Goliath
McDaniel has successfully (and happily) represented much smaller clients against larger, entrenched forces that hoped to use their size and financial resources to squash their smaller opponents. They weren’t successful.
Arguing With the Trademark Office
Faced with initial refusals to register, McDaniel has filed innumerable arguments with the US Patent & Trademark Office and has been largely successful in achieving registrations.
Protecting A Generic Name
A building products manufacturer with a generic or highly descriptive name and innumerable products had never registered a trademark.
McDaniel developed a program to gradually register dozens of product names, including an aggressive, concerted effort to protect the house mark based on longevity of use and distinctive designs. The company later was sold at a huge profit.
Defending Survivors’ Rights
McDaniel has protected the rights of survivors to artists’ names and works.
“The good lawyer is not the man who has an eye to every side and angle of contingency, and qualifies all his qualifications, but who throws himself on your part so heartily, that he can get you out of a scrape.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
About Katherine
McDaniel formed her own practice after decades in law firms and in-house with The Times Mirror Company.
She has represented clients in intellectual property creation and management through trademark and copyright registrations, dispute resolution, enforcement actions and brand extensions. She has handled all manner of licensing and sales of intellectual property assets.
Private Practice
McDaniel started her legal career at a large regional firm where she did corporate work, handled her first trademark case and began to develop an intellectual property expertise. She became a partner at Alschuler, Grossman & Pines, a medium-sized local law firm, where she continued her corporate work and assisted prominent litigators with intellectual property issues.
Then, for five years, McDaniel was the first and only Director of Intellectual Property for The Times Mirror Company.
Times Mirror Director of IP
In her years with the publishing giant, she set up and managed the IP Department, working with its newspapers, book publishers and software developers across the country. When the Chicago Tribune purchased Times Mirror, McDaniel returned to private practice.
She joined Katten to support its Entertainment Department, went to Bryan Cave working with the International Trade Department, and since 2007 was with a couple of other firms including an intellectual property boutique prior to opening her own office.
She holds a JD and MBA from UCLA and an AB in History from Occidental College.
She enjoys historical travel, reading history, gardening, visits to Lake Arrowhead, and time with her husband, two sons and their families.
