Michael Adlin
Mike Adlin joined Pirkey Barber after serving for 13 years as an Administrative Trademark Judge with the USPTO’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Mike authored over 400 final TTAB decisions and served as a panelist on almost 1,000 others; he also served as a TTAB Interlocutory Attorney. Prior to his government service, Mike spent 12 years in private practice litigating intellectual property cases, and clearing, prosecuting, licensing, and enforcing trademarks.
Mike Adlin’s practice focuses on trademark law. He assists clients with trademark clearance, prosecution, and enforcement. He counsels brand owners, handles appeals of registration refusals and represents clients in opposition and cancellation proceedings before the TTAB. Mike also enforces and defends trademark rights in federal courts and provides strategic guidance on trademark tactics and strategies, as well as brand protection.
Over the course of his career, Mike has worked with professional sports teams and organizations, musicians, and technology companies on a wide range of trademark and anti-counterfeiting matters.
Mike’s notable experience includes protecting WORLD CUP and OLYMPIC trademarks before, during, and after the 1994 World Cup and 1996 Summer Olympics. As a former TTAB Judge, he authored several precedential decisions, including cases later affirmed by the Federal Circuit. Earlier in his career, Mike served in the USPTO’s Office of Policy and International Affairs, where he supported the country’s international trade objectives by negotiating and interpreting intellectual property provisions in trade and investment agreements.
He remains active in the community through pro bono legal work with organizations such as We the Action, Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts, the ACLU, and other nonprofit groups.
Outside the office, Mike enjoys live music, traveling, skiing, biking, swimming, and learning to play guitar. A lifelong sports fan, he proudly roots for the two-time Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles—Fly Eagles Fly.
- United States Department of Commerce Gold Medal Award for leadership in negotiating the intellectual property sections of United States Free Trade Agreements
- Speaker, Various Bar and Professional Organizations on TTAB practice, procedure and policy, and other trademark issues, while with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
- Presenter, Programs for Foreign Judiciary and U.S. Government Officials on Trademark Law and Policy, while with the USPTO
- D.C. Bar
- Boston University School of Law J.D. 1991
- Duke University 1987 A.B.
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