Eric T. Fingerhut

Member


Brand marshal, brand duke, or the Brand PoohbahSM … call Eric Fingerhut what you want: he’s the lawyer clients trust to enforce and safeguard their valuable reputations against knockoffs and copycats and the champion who defends clients if someone accuses them of the same. He’s also the visionary strategist companies rely on to build and manage global trademark and copyright portfolios by constructing proprietary platforms powered by artificial intelligence.

Eric’s trademark experience is far-reaching, including automotive, clothing and fashion, food and beverage, health and beauty, hospitality, technology, tobacco, cannabis, and other industries.

Oh, and rock bands.

Known for delivering crisp, succinct advice and not overpromising, he breaks down thorny problems into simple terms. As a litigator, Eric appears in federal courts, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, and private arbitrations to represent clients in infringement, dilution, cybersquatting, unfair competition, and rights of publicity actions, along with oppositions and domain name disputes.

Outside the trademark arena, Eric negotiates copyright agreements, reviews marketing materials for possible misrepresentation and false advertising risks, and monitors trends in new media law to keep clients aware of opportunities and threats.

His corporate transactions practice focuses on licensing matters and IP audits related to M&A due diligence. Eric is the managing member of Dykema’s Washington, D.C., office, and consistent with the firm’s pro bono pledge, he has volunteered his time and talent to take on copyright trolls on behalf of artists and small businesses.

Among his many attributes, clients value Eric’s sense of humor.

No, seriously.

More than most other lawyers in the trademark space, his humor helps him offer more imaginative solutions. He is a prolific, jury-selected painter, budding digital photographer, and occasional comedy writer, creative outlets that also contribute to his unique approach and demeanor.

A brand is more than a client’s logo. It embodies the energy and effort of hard-working people and the strength of the products or services they generate. To me, that’s worth fighting for.
    • Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, J.D.
    • Boston University, B.S.
  • Bar Admissions

    • District of Columbia, 1990
    • Recognized for enforcement and litigation and prosecution and strategy in World Trademark Review 1000 — The World's Leading Trademark Professionals, United States - D.C. jurisdiction, 2011-Present

    • Recognized in Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers®  for Intellectual Property and Intellectual Property Litigation, 2016-Present

    • Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for Trademark Law, 2023 and 2024

    • Recognized in Managing Intellectual Property magazine as an IP Star, 2015-2016
    • International Trademark Association (INTA), Building Bridges Committee; North American Subcommittee of the INTA’s Public and Media Relations Committee, Chair

    • DC Bar Intellectual Property Law Section, Past Chair and Six-Year Member of Steering Committee
    • American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA)
    • CT Corsearch Client Advisory Board Member
    • Intellectual Property Constituency (IPC) of Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), Founding Member
    • Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW)
    • International Cycling Law Association (ICLA), Founder
    • Washington Area Bicyclists Association (WABA), Board Member
    • Light Electric Vehicle Association (LEVA), Legislative Committee Member
    • Washington D.C. Technology Council, Past Director and Chair of Membership Committee

Latest News and Insights

Publications12.20.24

Intellectual Property Update and Year in Review | December 2024

In this newsletter, we offer insights into key developments from the past year and explore factors…

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Press Releases8.15.24

216 Dykema Lawyers Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 and Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch”

Dykema, a leading national law firm, announced today that 216 of its attorneys, in multiple practice…

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One Minute Matters Video Series5.28.24

One Minute Matters [Video]: Is Your Next Round of Virtual Golf a Copyright Infringement? (with Eric Fingerhut)

Thanks to advancements in technology, golfers can now play courses like Pebble Beach or Augusta from…

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