Anne E. Kearns' practice concentrates on complex commercial litigation and intellectual property disputes, including patent, trade secret, copyright, trademark and unfair competition litigation. Ms. Kearns represents high tech corporations, retailers, start-ups and individuals throughout the United States in litigation at the trial and appellate court levels. She has participated in numerous trials in state and federal court in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., as well as alternative dispute resolution proceedings.

Ms. Kearns was admitted to the California Bar in 1996 after practicing for two years in Washington, D.C. (and was admitted in New York in 1994) where she focused on communications law and general litigation. Ms. Kearns also practiced in Los Angeles for several years representing artists, including writers, musical performers, producers, and actors in various and often high-profile copyright, trademark, trade dress, right of publicity and unfair competition claims.

Notable Engagements

Following are examples of cases Anne has handled.

• Local Counsel for the Motion Picture Association of America in its lawsuits against illegal downloaders.


• Represents multi-national insurance company in coverage issues.


• Represents international limousine company in employment issues.


• Represents international cosmetics company in the trademark prosecution of various products.


• Represented high tech company in trade secret dispute involving proprietary source code in the telecommunications industry.


• Represents and counsels national retail clothing company regarding intellectual property and Proposition 65 issues.


• Represented national ice-cream retailer in trademark dispute.


• Represented national wine distributor in trademark dispute.


• Represented high tech company involved in bankruptcy as special intellectual property counsel.


• Represented high tech company in trade secret dispute involving proprietary source code in the telecommunications industry.


• Represented advertising firm in right of publicity case involving local personality.


• Represented international company in a multi-million dollar complex commercial litigation which involved a month-long trip to China.


• Represented music producer in partnership and royalty dispute.


• Represented music performer in dispute against manager brought before the Labor Commission.


• Represented music producer and distributor in copyright, trade dress and Lanham Act suit against major entertainment company.


• Represented music publisher in copyright infringement suit against competing music publisher.

Publications

• Co-Author, "Note to California Employers: Run, Don't Walk to the Courthouse," California Litigation (Journal of the Litigation Section, State Bar of California) (August 2001)

Speaking Engagements

• Has given several presentations on trade secret protection and litigation.

Reported Cases

• Cross-Talk Productions, Inc. v. Jacobson, 65 Cal.App. 4th 631 (1998)
• Playboy Enterprises, Inc. v. Welles, 7 F. Supp. 2d 1098 (S.D. Cal. 1998) (one of the first cases to address trademark infringement involving meta-tags)

Education

• Catholic University, Columbus School of Law, J.D. (1993)
• Co-founder, CommLaw Conspectus (communications law journal)
• Senior Lead Articles Editor
• University of Colorado, Boulder, B.S., International Business (1990)

Admitted to Practice

• New York (1994)
• Maryland (inactive status) (1994)
• California (1996)
• United States District Court, Northern District of California
• United States District Court, Eastern District of California
• United States District Court, Central District of California
• United States District Court, Southern District of California

Professional Affiliations and Activities

• San Francisco Bar Association
• State Bar of California