Overview
Jonathan A. Hyman is a partner in our Los Angeles office. He is the Co-Chair of the firm’s Advertising, Media and Entertainment Practice Group and he is also the Co-Chair of the firm’s CBD and Legal Cannabis Group.
Jonathan’s practice includes domestic and foreign trademark prosecution, enforcement and searches, proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB), intellectual property licensing, copyrights, rights of publicity, domain name disputes, entertainment law, and client counseling. He also frequently conducts in-house seminars to assist clients in managing and protecting trademark portfolios.
Jonathan currently represents clients in a wide range of industries and fields, including entertainment, sports, fashion and apparel, retail, technology, food and beverages, legal and medicinal cannabis and CBD, cosmetics, financial services, restaurants and hospitality, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, software and e-commerce.
Jonathan excels at working with companies to create robust trademark portfolios to protect company assets and increase value for capital raises/strategic exits.
Representative Exits, IPOs, Capital Raises:
- Dataminr raises $475M on a $4.1B valuation
- IPO of Alfi Inc. (ALF) on NASDQ
- Acquisition of BAI Brands by Dr Pepper Snapple Group for $1.7 Billion
- Acquisition of One Brands by Hershey for $397 Million
- Acquisition of Pluto TV by Viacom for $340 Million
- IPO of Revolve Group (RVLV) on NYSE
- IPO of Athene Holding (ATH) on NYSE
- Acquisition of American Sporting Goods by Brown Shoe for $145 Million
Jonathan is a Founding Board Member of the California IP Alliance whose mission is to increase IP Awareness & Education, advance DEI issues in the IP ecosystem, and foster IP ecosystem collaboration.
Jonathan taught the Trademark Law Clinic at UCLA School of Law.
In law school Jonathan was Managing Editor of the Emory Law Journal. He was admitted to the State Bar of California in 2000.
Jonathan joined the firm in 2000 and became a partner in 2006.
Jonathan lives in Venice with his wife Jill and three young children.
Education
- Emory University School of Law (J.D., 2000)
- Syracuse University Newhouse School of Public Communication (B.S. Television, Radio and Film Production, 1997)
Recognition
Awards & Honors
- Named to the Thomson Reuters “Stand-Out Lawyer” list, which recognizes lawyers identified by senior in-house counsel and legal buyers worldwide as top professionals they have worked with in recent years.” (2025)
- Named “Trademark Prosecution Attorney of the Year in California” by Global Law Experts Annual Awards (2025)
- Named a Southern California Super Lawyer (2025)
- Recognized in World Trademark Review 1000: The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals guide (2024-2025)
- Recognized in Lexology’s Who’s Who Legal Thought Leaders USA 2025 guide
- Recognized in Lexology Index: IP 2025 guide for outstanding Trademark work
- Recognized by The Legal 500 “United States” for Trademarks: Non-Contentious (2024)
- Named in 2024 Southern California Super Lawyers for the distinction honors outstanding lawyers based on peer nominations and independent research
- Recognized in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Editions of the Global Top 200 Cannabis Lawyers (2022 – 2025) published by Cannabis Law Report & Cannabis Law Journal
- Recognized as a “World IP Leader” in 2022 – 2024 for his excellent work in Trademark by World Intellectual Property Review (WIPR).
- Named “Trademark Prosecution Attorney of the Year in California – 2022” by The Lawyer Network
- “Named “Trademark Prosecution Attorney of the Year in California” from 2020 – 2022, 2025 by Corporate INTL Magazine”
- Named a 2021 Legal Visionary by the Los Angeles Times
- Named in “Who’s Who Legal: Trademarks” list from 2014- 2023 by Law Business Research
- Recognized in the World Trademark Review (WTR) 1000 from 2016 to 2023 as a “Leading Trademark Lawyer”. In the 2018 guide, he was described as “well versed across a variety of areas” and that “he knows how to summarize information efficiently and prepare high-quality documents”. He was commended by his peer for being “quick to respond and a pleasure to work with as client service is clearly a high priority for him”. In 2019, his clients said that he knows how to “draw up blueprints for long-term strength and health, and uses his prosecution know-how in court to mount impregnable defenses or launch penetrating attacks”. In the 2020 guide, he was noted as “popular among fast-growing companies such as beverage entity BAI brands” as well as a “go-to for well-established brands such as Jelly Belly Candy Company” because of how he is “masterful at giving clear and concise counsel that informs business decision making”. In the 2022 guide, he was praised for his “deep insights” across multiple industries, including cannabis, food and beverage, and fashion and beauty.
- Selected for inclusion in the 2017-2021 “Southern California Super Lawyers” lists for his work in intellectual property law by Super Lawyers magazine
- Named “Trademark Prosecution Attorney of the Year 2019 – California” and “Trademark Prosecution Attorney of the Year in California – 2021” by Global Law Experts
- Named “Trademark Prosecution Lawyer of the Year 2018 – Los Angeles” by Acquisition International Magazine
- Recognized in BTI Consulting Group‘s 2017 “Client Service All-Stars” report for his superior client service in Trademarks and Brand Protection
- Named in the 2019 “Who’s Who Legal: Thought Leaders – Global Elite” by Law Business Research
- Recognized in the 2015 “Who’s Who Legal 100” by Law Business Research
- Received the 2014 “Copyright Law Firm of the Year – California” award by Acquisition International Magazine
- Recognized in the 2014 and 2015 Guide to the World’s Leading Trademark Law Practitioners
- Named repeatedly as one of Southern California’s “Rising Stars” in a survey of his peers published in Super Lawyers magazine
Affiliations
International Trademark Association (INTA)
Committee Member, Legislation and Regulation Committee – U.S. Subcommittee, 2024-2025
Committee Member, Legislation and Regulation Committee – Cannabis Sub-committee, 2021-2023
Committee Member, Enforcement Committee – Opposition & Cancellation Standards & Procedures Sub-committee, 2018-2020
Committee Member, Emerging Issues Committee – Contributory or Secondary Liability Sub-committee, 2016-2018
Committee Member, Emerging Issues Committee – The Limits on Trademark Rights, Ambush Marketing Sub-committee, 2014-2016
Committee Member, Enforcement Committee – Discovery Procedures Subcommittee, 2010-2014
Committee Member, Anti-Counterfeiting & Enforcement Committee (ACEC), China Sub-committee, 2008-2010
Los Angeles County Bar Association
Chair, Executive Board, Entertainment Law And Intellectual Property Section (ELIPS)
Beverly Hills Bar Association
Century City Bar Association
Los Angeles Intellectual Property Association (LAIPLA)
Co-Chair, Washington and the West Seminar, 2000
Copyright Society of America
Founding Board Member, California IP Alliance
News & Insights
Articles
Co-Author, “MetaBirkins Update: Is It Art or a Commercial Product,” The Recorder, February 2025.
Co-Author, “Checking on Supplements: NAD’s Recent Guidance on Substantiating Ingredient vs. Product Claims,” Nutrition Industry Executive, October 2024.
Co-author, “Fair Play, Trademarks and Sponsorships: How to Navigate the Olympics Season,” Reuters Westlaw, July 2024.
Co-Author, “Inside Momofuku’s Battle Over ‘Chili Crunch’ Trademark,” QSR Magazine, June 2024.
Co-author, “The Impact of Cannabis Rescheduling on Trademark Law,” Cannabis Business Executive, May 2024.
Co-Author, “The Rise of False Advertising Lawsuits in the Food and Beverage Industry,” QSR Magazine, July 2023. Download full article here.
Co-Author, “What to Learn from Chipotle’s Legal Scuffle with Sweetgreen,” QSR Magazine, April 2023
Author, “Combating counterfeits – lessons to be learned from CBP seizure statistics,” World Trademark Review, March 2023
Co-author, “USPTO Changes Office Action Response Time For Non-Madrid U.S. Trademark Applications,” Knobbe Martens, January 2023
Part One: Cannabis Law Attorneys Stay Busy to Keep Pace with Industry Growth, Quoted in Of Counsel, April 2022
Entertainment Lawyers Adapt to Pandemic and Ever-Evolving Media Trends, Quoted in Of Counsel, April 2021
Co-author, Green Handcuffs: Current Challenges for CBD Brand Owners in Registering Their Trademarks at the USPTO, The Trademark Lawyer, March 2021
Podcast: Knobbe Martens Attorneys Discuss Counterfeiting and IP Theft, Footwear Insight Extra, February 2021
Co-Authored – “Revenge of the Nerds: The Need for Unique Brands,” Marijuana Venture, January 2021
Jonathan Menkes and Jonathan Hyman quoted in “Four new states legalise recreational cannabis: what it means for brands,” World Trademark Review, November 2020
How the ‘UCANN v. Pure Hemp’ IP Lawsuit Will Affect the Cannabis Industry, Cannabis Business Times, July 2019
Deepfakes: Preparing for the Trademark Infringement of the Future, Quoted in World Trademark Review, July 2019
NBA-Coogi Spat May Give Sweater Pattern Coke Bottle Protection?, Quoted in Bloomberg Law, March 2019
If The IP Fits, Wear It: IP Protection for Footwear – A U.S. Perspective, The Trademark Reporter (The Law Journal of the International Trademark Association), Vol. 108, No. 3, May-June 2018. Download full article here
Stranger Things’ lawsuit: Is it possible to “steal” an idea?, Quoted in Film Daily, April 2018
Safeguarding your sweets: Trademark protection tips, Candy Industry Online, November 2017
Catching Counterfeits: Customs Recordation and IP Enforcement, The Licensing Journal, September 2017
My Other Bag – No Ordinary Bag, The Licensing Journal, May 2017
Getting the Deal Through: Trademarks 2016, Law Business Research Ltd., September 2015
Betty Boop in Blunderland: Ninth Circuit’s Trademark Ruling In Fleischer Studios v. A.V.E.L.A, Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Entertainment Law and IP Section – Entertainment and Intellectual Property Law Journal, Vol. 2, Number, 2 May/June 2012
Protecting Your Upside In A Downturn: Due Diligence Considerations For Purchasing Intellectual Property In An Economic Crisis, Association of Corporate Counsel-SoCal Chapter News Letter, February 2009
Maintaining Brand Integrity In The Marketplace, World Trademark Review, May/June 2008
Before You Go to China: Strategies for Protecting Your Trademarks in China, Orange County Lawyer, August 2007
Who Wants To Sue A Multi-Billionaire: Google’s Risky Venture Into YouTube, Cyberspace Lawyer, June 2007
Brand Management: Five Ways to Watch Your Competitors, Managing Intellectual Property, April 2007
Deep Pockets: The Risks of Buying Websites With Consumer Generated Content and How They Hope to Avoid the Major Lawsuit, E-Commerce Law Report, November 2006
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love YouTube: Video-Hosting Services and the Death of Copyrights on the Internet, Daily Journal, August 2006
Fashion & Beauty Blog
Speeches & Seminars
Speaker, Navigating False Advertising Claims, January 2025
Avoiding USPTO Pet Peeves, LAIPLA Washington in the West Conference, January 2025 (Co-Panelists: Honorable Christopher Larkin, Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Judge and Jason Lott, Managing Attorney for Trademarks Customer Outreach at the USPTO)
Moderator, California Intellectual Property Alliance (CAIPA) and USPTO – IP Attaché Program Roundtable Webinar, December 2024
Protect Your Story: Storytelling Through Food, Michelson IP Institute, December 2024
Moderator, California Intellectual Property Alliance (CAIPA) and USPTO – IP Attaché Program Roundtable Webinar, December 2023
Non-Governmental Tools for Mark Protection, In-House and Firm Approaches, LAIPLA Washington in the West Conference, March 2023 (Co-Panelists: Tom Hadid, Corporate Counsel – Trademark, Amazon; Tim Hance, Senior Counsel, Brands & Content Intellectual Property; NBCUniversal, and Jason Weintraub (Chief Legal Officer & General Counsel, Jacuzzi Group)
Trademark Protection In China, Managing IP (MIP) Global Trademark Forum, March 2018
Music Licensing Basics: How to Legally Use Someone’s Music in Your Business, Association of Corporate Counsel, July 2017
Trademark Application Pre-Filing Strategies: Overcoming the Obstacles, Strafford, June 2017
Trademark Application Pre-Filing Strategies: Overcoming the Obstacles, Strafford, June 2015
International Trademark Law and Strategy: Practical Tips for Protecting, Licensing and Enforcing Trademarks Abroad, Los Angeles County Bar Association, September 2014 (Co-Panelists: Mei-Lan Stark, Head IP Counsel for Fox and INTA President and Michael Lewis, USPTO Regional IP Attaché for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean)
Let The Good Times Roll: IP Issues with Social Media and User-Generated Content, American Corporate Counsel (ACC), August 2014
Intellectual Property: Get My Stuff Off the Web!, Beverly Hills Bar Association, August 2014 (Co-Panelists: Ian Ballon and Neville Johnson)
Moderator, INTA-USPTO Roundtable: Los Angeles, May 2014
Trademark Clearance and Filing Strategies, Los Angeles Intellectual Property Law Association, October 2013
Avoiding False Advertising & Unfair Competition Claims, Silicon Valley, July 2013
Silver Linings Playbook: Best Practices in Trademark Clearance and Selection, American Corporate Counsel (ACC), April 2013
Intellectual Property Licensing, U.S. Department of Commerce, SABIT Intellectual Property Rights Program, March 2013
Facebook and Beyond: What Every Lawyer Needs to Know, Orange County Bar Association, January 2013
It’s A Social World After All: An Update on Trademark and Copyright Issues in Social Media, Association of Corporate Counsel, April 2012
How To Make Money With Your Intellectual Property, LAIPLA/Loyola Law School, July 2011
What’s In A Name? Protecting Trademarks Associated With Television Shows In The U.S., 28th Annual International Law Symposium – Entertainment & Sports Law: The International Dimension, February 2011
Intellectual Property and Social Media, Constitutional Rights Foundation, 4th Annual Constitution Day Conference, September 2010
IP And Social Media, Association of Corporate Counsel-SoCal Chapter, April 2010
Intellectual Property Nuts and Bolts – Trademarks, Los Angeles County Bar Association, May 2009
Bang For The Buck: Extracting Maximum Value From Intellectual Property In An Economic Crisis, Association of Corporate Counsel-SoCal Chapter, April 2009
Recent Developments In Trademark Law: Metatags, Infringement, But No Injunctions?, Orange County Paralegal Association, August 2008
Emotional Brand Building, ASR, San Diego, September 8, 2007
Protecting Brand Integrity: Best Practices and Lessons Learned, U.S. Chamber of Commerce The Cost of Counterfeiting and Piracy Conference, August 2007
The Global Reach of US Notice and Take Down Provisions, LES Pan-European Conference, Glasgow, Scotland, June 22, 2006
Preventing Brand Infringement and Dilution on the Internet, Orange County Paralegal Association, January 2005
Trademark Update: European Union Expansion; Changes in US Trademark Procedure; and the Electronic PTO, Orange County Paralegal Association March 2004
Training for the Big Leagues: Securing International Trademark and Design Protection, Beverly Hills Bar Association, May 2003
Brand Enforcement Strategies 2002 Trademark Seminar, June 2002