Justin McNaughton is a member of the Intellectual Property practice group at Greenspoon Marder. As a trademark attorney, he assists clients in protecting the hard earned goodwill their brands represent. He particularly enjoys difficult trademark areas, such as protecting cannabis brands and securing non-traditional trademarks, such as sounds.
With a background in structuring and executing deals, he works with businesses to find success through joint ventures and collaborations, and he assists clients in licensing brands, licensing inventions, and buying and selling companies. Startups and entrepreneurs choose Mr. McNaughton for his practical approach to company formation, intellectual property assignments, operating agreements, buy-sell agreements, shared services agreements, and for general corporate advice.
As a registered patent attorney, Mr. McNaughton helps clients to protect their inventions and investments. Select patents he has helped secure include a “stabilizing recoil lug and rail for rifle scope mounting,” a “harness for a violin,” a “bridge for an electronic instrument,” a “high efficiency distillation head,” a “short path distillation head,” and a “water shelter or shed to protect a worker from heat, smoke, fire and chemicals.”
Mr. McNaughton has significant experience in the following practice areas and industries:
- Trademark protection
- Patent prosecution and drafting
- Copyright law
- Internet and website law
- Commercial contracts and technology licensing
- Biotechnology and life sciences
- Entrepreneurs and startups
- Technology, software, trademark and patent licenses
- Technology transfer agreements
- Product research and development agreements
- Intellectual property acquisition agreements
- Website terms and conditions
- Privacy policies
- Purchasing agreements.
Mr. McNaughton was the President of the Young Lawyers Division of the Nashville Bar Association in 2016, where he assisted fundraising and organizing events such as Race Judicata, Arts Immersion, Carbolic Smoke Ball, Brews for Backpacks, and Craft Beers for Costumes.
Bar Admissions
- Illinois
- Missouri
- Tennessee
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Education
- J.D., Washington University, 2004
- B.A., Microbiology, Brigham Young University, 2001
Professional and Community Involvement
- United States Patent Bar, Member
- Tennessee Bar Association, Member
- Nashville Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division, President, 2016
- Missouri Bar Association, Member
Speaking Engagements
- Speaker, “The Author Series,” NYU Journal of Intellectual Property & Entertainment Law Podcast, April 17, 2020
- Speaker, “Intellectual Property in the Cannabis Industry,” 2018 Connecticut Legal Conference, June 11, 2018
- Speaker, “Intellectual Property in Cannabis: What Can You Protect?,” Cannabis Law, Accounting and Business Conference & Expo, October 26, 2017
- Panelist, “IP and the Intersection of Product Labeling and Packaging for Your Cannabis Business,” Cannabis World Congress and Business Exposition, New York, June 16, 2017
- Panelist, “Legal Areas of Practice Affected by Cannabis Law,” Palm Beach County Bar Association Cannabis Law Summit, April 20, 2017
- Speaker, “IP in the Cannabis Industry,” Greenspoon Marder Denver Cannabis Workshop, April 6, 2017
- Speaker, “IP in the Cannabis Industry,” Greenspoon Marder Portland Cannabis Workshop, February 16, 2017
Recognitions
- Martindale-Hubbell, Rated AV® Preeminent ™
Publications
- Co-Author, “EEEEEEEYOOOOOO!: Reflections On Protecting Pitbull’s Famous Grito,” NYU Journal of Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law, Volume 9, Number 2, April 17, 2020
- Author, “Pursue Cannabis Intellectual Property Strategies Despite Limitations,” New Cannabis Ventures, April 18, 2018
- Co-Author, “IP in the Cannabis Industry: Where Laws Collide,” The Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, March 2018
- Author, “What is the difference between a business name and a trademark?,” Trademarkology Blog, July 28, 2016
- Author, “America’s Prince,” Trademarkology blog, April 22, 2016
- Author, “PECHU SANDWICH: Lettuce, Tomato, Cheese, Chicken – Hold the © and ®,” Trademarkology Blog, August 28, 2015
In the News
- Mentioned, “‘EEEEEEEYOOOOOO’: Miami, Nashville Lawyers Worked 18 Months to Get Pitbull That Trademark.” Daily Business Review, April 24, 2020
- Mentioned, “Pitbull Is One of the Few to Trademark a Sound, Hear His Signature Yell,” Radio.com, April 22, 2020
- Mentioned, “Pitbull is now the owner of the sound ‘EEEEEEEYOOOOOO.’ Say it and you may owe him money,” Miami Herald, April 17, 2020
- Quoted, “USPTO Opens Door to CBD Trademarks as the Market Booms,” Law Week Colorado, June 12, 2019
- Quoted, “Stanley Black & Decker Sues Sears Over Craftsman Brand,” New York Post, Addison Gazette, March 7, 2019
- Quoted, “A Marijuana Product Patent Dispute Marks a First for the Judicial System,” Law Week Colorado, August 20, 2018
- Featured, “Cannabis Quirks in Intellectual Property Law,” Law Week Colorado, April 20, 2017
- Sep 30, 2019 Largest Hemp Auction in the U.S. to Take Place in Tennessee
- Jun 3, 2019 Illinois Legalizes Recreational Cannabis!
- May 7, 2019 Cannabis Trademarks – The USPTO Issues New Guidance
- May 3, 2019 USDA Accepting Applications of Seed-Propagated Hemp for Plant Variety Protection
- Apr 11, 2019 Greenspoon Marder Intellectual Property Blog: Dusting Off the UDRP (Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy)
- Apr 10, 2018 Attempting To Patent Cannabis-Related Inventions May Be Challenging
- Mar 28, 2018 Using Trade Secret Protection To Shield Your Marijuana-Related Intellectual Property
News
- Apr 22, 2020 Greenspoon Marder Secures Trademark for Pitbull’s Signature Grito
- Sep 26, 2018 Greenspoon Marder Supports the Cannabis World Congress and Business Expo in Los Angeles
- Jun 11, 2018 Greenspoon Marder Attorney Justin McNaughton Featured Speaker at 2018 Connecticut Legal Conference
- Nov 14, 2017 Greenspoon Marder Attorneys Receive 2018 AV Preeminent Rating By Martindale-Hubbell
- Jul 27, 2017 Greenspoon Marder Supports the Nashville Bar Association Young Lawyers Division 20th Annual Carbolic Smoke Ball
- Jun 14, 2017 Greenspoon Marder Supports the Cannabis World Congress & Business Expo in New York
- Apr 20, 2017 Greenspoon Marder Supports Palm Beach County Bar Association’s Cannabis Law Summit
- Apr 3, 2017 Greenspoon Marder Announces Expansion of Intellectual Property Practice in San Diego
- Mar 28, 2017 Greenspoon Marder Celebrates the Opening of its New Office in Denver with a Reception and Workshop on IP in the Cannabis Industry
- Oct 20, 2016 Greenspoon Marder Announces Further Expansion with Addition of Intellectual Property Practice, Opening of Office in Nashville
