Gary J. Rinkerman

Partner Washington, D.C.
gary.rinkerman dbr.com
Phone: (202) 230-5178 (202) 230-5178
Fax: (202) 842-8465
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About

Gary J. Rinkerman has more than 35 years of experience in intellectual property law and focuses his practice on transactions, counseling, clearance opinion work and dispute resolution, including litigation in the judiciary, at the U.S. International Trade Commission and at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. He has worked on litigation, licensing, joint development, mergers and acquisitions, due diligence, standard operating procedures, clearances and opinions, and best practices for a variety of U.S. and international clients who seek to acquire, license, enforce or defend against assertions of intellectual property rights.

The areas in which he provides legal services include entertainment, digital media and content, consumer products, retail systems, data and analytics, computer equipment, software, medical equipment, apparel, manufacturing technologies, Internet services and electronic goods. Merging the areas of advanced technologies and entertainment, he has produced audio works and has worked on recording and distribution agreements, documentary film production agreements, and agreements for large-scale audio and audiovisual content distribution technologies. For example, his work has included agreements for the recording and distribution of exclusive content provided by one of the bestselling U.S. rock groups and work on agreements for the production and distribution of audiovisual content in digital media contexts. 

In the context of intellectual property clearances and due diligence, Gary has worked with and provided training for major U.S. companies with regard to clearance processes and best practices in the general retail, digital technologies and products, consumer products, fashion, packaging and entertainment industries. These processes include consideration of copyright, trademark, trade dress, design patent, rights of publicity and other species of intellectual property. He is the leader of the firm’s Copyright Team.

Gary has regularly lectured on U.S. intellectual property for George Mason University’s Technology Management MBA Program; Queen Mary, University of London School of Law; NYU; the European Intellectual Property Institutes Network and for other academic and industry organizations. His recent lectures and presentations include: “Intellectual Property In The Context of Big Data,” “Intellectual Property Transactions: Development, Licensing and Transfer Agreements,” “Design Training and Clearance Processes In Media and Consumer Product Contexts,” “Rights of Publicity: Evolution, Trends & Future Developments, ” and “A Five-Day, Seven-Part Course Surveying The Full Range of U.S. IP Rights.”

Gary’s experience has placed him in high demand by clients whose IP holdings are internationally recognized as core properties and by universities who have featured him as a regular lecturer on the full range of U.S. intellectual property and related transactions. He is an Adjunct Professor as New York University, focusing on IP in data and analytics, as well as a regular lecturer on US IP for Queen Mary University, School of Law (London) and for the Executive Technology Management MBA Program at George Mason University. Gary also regularly lectures for the European Intellectual Property Institutes Network, which includes Queen Mary Intellectual Property Research Institute, University of Alicante, Maastricht University, University of Strasbourg, and the Munich Intellectual Property Law Center.

Gary worked pro bono for many years to preserve Civil War battlefield properties in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley and is the narrator of the cedar Creek battlefield Foundation’s annual commemoration and re-enactment activities.

Experience

As a former Senior Investigative Attorney at the United States International Trade Commission, Gary has a solid background in intellectual property litigation, both in the judiciary and at US government agencies. His cases included major litigation over core IP assets in the federal judiciary, at the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board and in the U.S. International Trade Commission. He has worked on intellectual property cases whose subjects have ranged from consumer goods, electronic products, audiovisual works, apparel and footwear design and fabrication, and semiconductor technologies.

Gary has designed, implement and maintained IP clearance systems, training and best practices for a clients in the retail, packaging, product design and apparel/footwear industries. The opinion work associated with this aspect of his practice has covered designs for entire lines of consumer products, apparel, footwear, jewelry, toys, packaging, labels, and advertising campaigns.

Gary has drafted, negotiated and assisted in implementing contracts, including licenses, transfers, releases and settlements, in matters ranging from installation of international sales programs and technology development to design and development agreements and full suites of clearances and others documents related to internal systems and the production and distribution of consumer goods and original content, including agreements concerning Software as a Service, production and distribution of digital products and entertainment properties, advertising, data and analytics and music and video production.

Insights & Events

Credentials

Bar Admissions

  • District of Columbia

Education

  • Georgetown University Law Center, J.D.
  • Rutgers University, B.A.

Organizations

  • American Intellectual Property Law Association
  • Computer Law Reporter, Co-founder and Editorial Board
  • International Trademark Association – Member, International Design Protection Harmonization subcommittee
  • Internet Law & Business Reporter, Editorial Board
  • Licensing Executive Society
  • Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation, Board Member
  • Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historic Park, Federal Advisory Commission

Gary's Areas of Focus

Industries

Services