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Julia Huston
Julia Huston is a partner at Bromberg & Sunstein, and is Co-Chair of the firm’s Trademark Practice Group. She concentrates in intellectual property litigation, and also counsels clients in developing comprehensive strategies to protect their intellectual property assets, including patents, trademarks and copyrights. She is a skilled and seasoned manager of complex, large-scale litigation efforts designed to enhance a client’s intellectual property rights consistent with the client’s strategic business concerns. Julia holds leadership positions in several intellectual property organizations and bar associations. She is the immediate Past-President of the Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts, a councilor of the Boston Bar Association, and a Subcommittee Chair of the International Trademark Association. In August 2006, Julia spearheaded the first overhaul of the Massachusetts trademark laws in over 30 years.
Experience
- Represented national companies and institutions in an array of technology-based disputes involving such products as computer software, chemical fiber fusion processes, aerodynamics in small appliances, extruded plastics, athletic shoes, and car safety devices.
- Represented clients in trademark and copyright disputes relating to a wide spectrum of issues, including e-commerce, website advertising, software licensing, manufacture and distribution of consumer goods, publishing, professional services, and entertainment services.
- Played a leading role in numerous jury trials in patent, trademark and copyright cases. Won a $20.7 million verdict in a case involving the false advertising and commercial disparagement of musical instruments. Invalidated a patent for speech recognition software, thereby defeating a multi-million dollar claim for damages.
- Successfully represented clients at mediations in patent, trademark, and copyright cases, including cases in which film rights and patent rights in mechanical devices were at stake.
- Secured clients’ trademark rights through consistently aggressive advocacy, resulting in favorable settlements in hard-fought cases involving famous marks such as AltaVista, Harvard, U.S. Trust, and the trade dress of the portable electric fans of a national manufacturer. Served as lead counsel for Ken’s Steak House in trademark dispute against Ken’s Foods, which settled amicably on the second day of trial.
- Counseled clients with respect to all aspects of trademark prosecution, enforcement, defense and licensing. Addressed wide range of trademark issues before the Patent and Trademark Office and Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, including likelihood of confusion, descriptiveness, fame and mutilation.
- Counseled clients with respect to copyright protection for works as diverse as cartoon characters, musical recordings, paintings, religious texts, films and computer software. Successfully argued appeals of the U.S. Copyright Office’s refusal to register business logos and sculptural works.
Professional and Community Involvement
- Leadership positions in international, regional, and local bar associations.
- Immediate Past-President of the Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts.
- Councilor and former Section Chair of the Boston Bar Association.
- Chair of the International Trademark Association Model State Trademark Bill Subcommittee.
- Sponsor of Model State Trademark Bill in Massachusetts, which was signed into law in August 2006, on behalf of the International Trademark Association and the Boston Bar Association.
- Chair of Equal Justice Coalition of Massachusetts, which advocates for public funding of civil legal aid for low-income people.
- President, Executive Committee Member, and Director of Greater Boston Legal Services.
- Councilor of New England Historic Genealogical Society.
- Former Director of YWCA Boston.
Honors
- Named as one of the top 100 lawyers in New England (2007 and 2008) and Massachusetts (2007 and 2008).*
- Named as one of the top 50 female lawyers in New England (2007 and 2008) and Massachusetts (2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008).*
- Named as a "Super Lawyer" in the field of Intellectual Property Litigation, limited to top 5% of attorneys in Massachusetts (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008).*
- Received Lelia Josephine Robinson Award from Boston University School of Law Women's Law Association for exemplary leadership in the community (2008).
- Received highest peer review rating (AV) from Martindale Hubbell, based on a survey of other lawyers and judges in the community.
*Named by Law & Politics and Boston magazine, as chosen by their peers and through independent research.
Recent Publications
Click here for additional Publications.
Recent Presentations
- Panelist, “The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Comes to Boston” (Boston Patent Law Association, October 26, 2007)
- Moderator, “False Advertising in the United States: Recent Developments” (Table Topic Discussion at the International Trademark Association annual meeting, Chicago, April 29, 2007)
- Presenter, "Women in the Courtroom: Addressing the Challenges Facing Women as Litigators" (Suffolk University Law School, March 15, 2007)
Click here for additional Presentations.
Recent Press Interviews
- Julia was interviewed for Channel 4 WBZ-TV, Channel 7 WHDH, Fox 25 News, The Boston Globe and The Boston Herald in July 2007 regarding her successful efforts to obtain a preliminary injunction on behalf of Boston Duck Tours against a competitor using the name Super Duck Tours.
- Julia was featured in The Boston Globe on Sunday, April 8, 2007 in the article "Between the bar and the glass ceiling." She was interviewed upon becoming the president of the Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts.
- The Boston Herald quoted Julia in a January 4, 2007 article titled "Boston co. in bongo battle with Kawasaki" regarding a patent suit Julia is litigating on behalf of our client First Act Inc.
Click here for additional Press Interviews.
*The Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Icon is a service mark of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used under permission from Reed Elsevier Properties Inc. in accord with the terms and conditions established by Martindale-Hubbell.
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