Sharon Urias

Overview
Experience
Awards
Publications
News & Videos

Overview

Sharon Urias is a partner in the Litigation practice group at Greenspoon Marder LLP. Ms. Urias is experienced in providing business and intellectual property litigation, including trademark, domain name disputes, patent and copyright litigation. Ms. Urias regularly contributes to the Greenspoon Marder Intellectual Property Blog.

Prior to joining Greenspoon Marder, Ms. Urias ran her own firm for 11 years. Additionally, she has been a member of the Fee Arbitration Program of the State Bar of Arizona since 2008.

Court Admissions

U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
U.S. District Court, Central District of California
U.S. District Court, Southern District of California
U.S. District Court, District of Arizona
U.S. District Court, District of Colorado

Bar Admissions

Arizona
California

Education

J.D., Loyola Law School of Los Angeles, 1995
- Loyola Law Review, Note and Comment Editor
B.A., Tufts University, 1992

Other Languages

Spanish

Experience

Representative Experience

Won motion for summary judgment on claims for trademark infringement, cybersquatting and reverse domain name hijacking, as well as award of attorneys’ fees under the “exceptional case” provision of the Lanham Act.
Obtained injunction for clients in connection with two hundred million dollar real estate project allowing for favorable settlement of trade secret action.
Obtained defense verdict in ten-day jury trial in complex commercial real estate case and obtained significant attorneys’ fee award on behalf of clients.
Obtained reversal by the California Court of Appeal of a $60.7 million judgment in a complicated medical malpractice case reported in the Daily Journal’s Verdicts and Settlement section to be the second largest California jury verdict of the year 2000 and the only one overturned on appeal.
Won motion for judgment on the pleadings on behalf of defendant manufacturer in class action filed on behalf of thousands of alleged class members.
Successfully defended trademark infringement case brought by prominent local chef in Louisiana against food manufacturer client, winning key jurisdictional motions, which allowed the negotiation of a nuisance-value settlement.
Won motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction on behalf of Sri Lankan and Pakistani cellular telephone companies, thus avoiding $30 million misappropriation of trade secrets case.
Representation of creator, publisher, and distributor of comic books in a copyright and trademark infringement action and a $23.5 million action against a movie studio for unpaid royalties in connection with use of client’s intellectual property.
Successfully handled appeal for client hit with a $1 million arbitration award despite significant and extensive adverse case law.
Set aside default judgment in trial court on behalf of defendant insurance company and successfully defended appeal from order granting default judgment.
Won motion for dismissal sanction in federal court case based on the plaintiff’s failure to cooperate in discovery.
Won successive motions to quash service of summons on behalf of Danish motion picture distribution company based on failure to comply with the Hague Convention, causing the plaintiff to dismiss the lawsuit.
Assisted publishing company client in recovering stolen domain name in trademark infringement case.
Obtained arbitration award in a bad faith action against an insurance company, including recovery of attorneys’ fees.
Obtained dismissal on behalf of client in federal trademark case alleging infringement, unfair competition and false advertising, and seeking treble damages.

Professional and Community Involvement

The Arizona Apparel Foundation, Former Board of Directors
Arizona Technology Council, Member
American Bar Association, Trademark Litigation Committee, Member
Arizona State Bar Association, Fee Arbitration Program, Member
California State Bar Association, Member
International Trade Association, Member

Speaking Engagements

Speaker, “Dress to Impress: How to Protect Your Trademark in the Fashion Industry,” West LegalEdcenter/Thomson Reuters, December 3, 2019
Speaker, “Ins & Outs of Fee Agreements” and the “You Be The Fee Arbitrator,” State Bar Convention, June 28, 2019
Speaker, ” “Legally Launched: Top Legal Tips for Startups,” eMerge Americas 2019, April 28, 2019
Speaker, “The Legal Lawyers of 3D Printing,” The Arizona Tech Council Monthly Lunch and Learn, April 9, 2019
Speaker, “Fee Agreements,” The State Bar of Arizona’s 2018 Annual Convention, June 27, 2018
Speaker, “You Be the Fee Arbitrator,” The State Bar of Arizona’s 2018 Annual Convention, June 27, 2018

Awards

Recognition

Martindale-Hubbell, Rated AV Preeminent®

Publications

Author, “Seizure of Counterfeit, Pirated Goods Under IP Chapter of U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement,” The Lawyer’s Daily, March 12, 2020
Author, “What To Know About The Importation Of Gray Market Goods Into The United States,” Phoenix Business Journal, January 21, 2020
Author, “How Does The United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement Affect Intellectual Property Rights?,” Phoenix Business Journal, November 4, 2019
Author, “Game of Trademarks,” Intellectual Property Magazine, September 2019
Co-Author, “Protecting Your Company’s Domain Name,” Today’s General Counsel, October 1, 2018
Author, Williams v. Garcetti: Constitutional Defects in California’s Gang-Parent Liability Statute, 28 Loy. L.A. L. Rev. 447, 1994