Lynda Zadra-Symes

Partner

Orange County

949-760-0404

lynda.zadrasymes@knobbe.com

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Overview

Experience

Recognition

Resources

Lynda Zadra-Symes is a litigation partner and co-chair of the firm’s trademark and copyright litigation practice groups. She represents clients through all stages of U.S. litigation, from pre-suits through trial and appeal, in federal courts throughout the country and before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Her practice involves all types of intellectual property, including patents, trade secrets, trademarks, copyrights, false advertising, unfair competition, rights of publicity franchising, labeling, cybersecurity and data privacy. She also advises on issues relating to customs and anti-counterfeiting, international trademarks and copyrights, advertising, social media, competition and passing off. Lynda works with clients in numerous industries, including food & beverage, fashion and beauty, medical device and healthcare, software, financial and professional services, sports and entertainment.

Lynda is a Domain Name Dispute Panelist arbitrator for the World Intellectual Property Organization (“WIPO”) in Geneva, Switzerland, and has arbitrated numerous domain name disputes. She is a former Co-Chair of the International Bar Association (“IBA”) committee for Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law, and has conducted numerous presentations on a variety of intellectual property matters internationally. Lynda is also a listed Mediator with the International Trademark Association’s (INTA) Trademark Mediators Network.

Lynda was called to the Bar of England and Wales as a barrister in November 1989. She is a member of the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple (Inn of Court) and undertook her barrister training at One Essex Court, London with a barrister specializing in intellectual property law. Lynda was admitted to the California Bar in 1991.

Lynda is a founding Board Member of RX Ballroom Dance, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides ballroom dance therapy to those suffering neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

Prior to commencing her legal studies, Lynda worked for three years at the World Intellectual Property Organization ("WIPO") in Geneva, Switzerland. She joined the firm in 1990 and became a partner in 1996.

Education

Leicester Polytechnic - England (LL.B. First Class Honours, 1988), Annual Sweet & Maxwell award for highest results 1985-1988

Inns of Court School of Law - London (Barrister, 1989), Inns of Court Studentship Award, Duke of Edinburgh Award

Leicester Polytechnic - England

Inns of Court School of Law - London

State Bar of California

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

U.S. District Court - Central District of California

U.S. District Court - Eastern District of California

U.S. District Court - Northern District of California

U.S. District Court - Southern District of California

Bar of England and Wales

Aesthetics & Personal Care Products

AgBio

Automotive, Transportation & Power Sports

Clean Technology

Communications Technology

Construction & Home Improvement

Electronics & Semiconductors

Fashion & Beauty

Financial Services & Business Methods

Food & Beverage

Healthcare Information Technology

Media & Entertainment

Medical Devices & Procedures

Pharmaceuticals

Restaurant & Hospitality

Software & Information Technology

Sporting Goods & Recreation

Practice Areas

Copyrights

Domain Name & Website Content Disputes

International Trademarks

Trademark Clearance, Registration & Enforcement

TTAB Proceedings

Design Patents

Data Privacy & Security

Consumer Products Litigation

Trademarks & Brand Protection

IP Strategy

IP Transactions & Agreements

Appellate Litigation

Trade Secret & Employment Mobility Litigation

Trademark & Brand Protection Litigation

Monster Energy Company v. Integrated Supply Network, LLC (C.D. Cal. 2018)

Represented Monster Energy Company in a trademark and trade dress infringement action. After a full trial, the jury found that Integrated Supply Network infringed Monster Energy's trademarks and trade dress and awarded our client $5 million in punitive damages.

Monster Energy Co. v. The Made Group LLC and Sportbike Lites LLC (C.D. Cal.).

Represented Monster Energy Company in trademark and copyright infringement action and obtained consent judgment of infringement and permanent injunction.

Millen v. Karen Millen Fashions Ltd., High Court (Chancery Division) England (August 2016).

Retained as US law expert by successful defendant. Court held, inter alia, that Karen Millen did not have right to use or register her name in the US in violation of her agreement to transfer the Karen Millen brand to the defendants.

Monster Energy Co. v. Monster Escorts LLC (M.D. Ga. 2015).

Represented Monster Energy Company in trademark and copyright infringement action against vehicle escort company. Obtained consent judgment of infringement and permanent injunction.

Lizalde, et al. v. Advanced Planning Services, Inc., First Allied Securities, Inc., et al., (2013).

Represented one of defendants in copyright infringement action filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of California. Obtained favorable settlement for client.

Andrew Zuckerman v. Lenny USA et al., 2:12-cv-03249, C.D.Cal. (2013).

Represented defendant in copyright infringement case filed in US District Court for Central District of California. Obtained favorable settlement for defendant.

Sweet People (dba Miss Me) v. ITC Girl Inc. (2013).

Represented defendant in copyright and trademark infringement action filed in US District Court for the Central District of California. Obtained favorable settlement for client.

James R. Glidewell Dental Ceramics, Inc., Dba Glidewell Laboratories V. Keating Dental Arts, Inc., WL 655314 (CD Cal. 2013).

Represented defendant Keating Dental Arts Inc. in a trademark dispute brought by Glidewell Laboratories. Glidewell claimed that Keating Dental’s trademark KDZ BRUXER for dental crowns infringed Glidewell’s registered trademark BRUXZIR for dental crowns. The court held that “bruxing” is a common dental term, that Glidewell’s BRUXZIR mark is a weak mark, and that there was no likelihood of confusion between Keating's KDZ BRUXER trademark and Glidewell’s BRUXZIR trademark.

Monster Energy Company v. HRHH Hotel/Casino, LLC et al., 2014 WL 293773 (CD Cal. 2013).

Represented Monster Energy in an arbitration against HHHH Hotel/Casino. Monster Energy prevailed on its claims for breach of contract and obtained all of its requested declaratory relief, including a declaration that Monster Energy acquired by assignment and is the owner of all rights in the mark REHAB worldwide for all beverages, and that Hard Rock is precluded from using the REHAB trademark for beverages. Monster Energy also prevailed on its claim for damages and attorneys’ fees and costs.

Sweet People Apparel Inc., dba Miss Me, and RCRV, Inc. dba Rock Revival v. Machine Jeans Inc. and The Wet Seal Inc. (2012).

Represented defendants in copyright action filed in US District Court for Central District of California. Obtained favorable settlement for client.

PBEV, LLC v. Hansen Beverage Company d/b/a Monster Beverage Company, Case No. 7:10-cv-3526 (N.D. Ala. 2011).

Represented energy drink manufacturer in trademark litigation. Case settled favorably for client.

Hansen Beverage Company v. Cytosport Inc., 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS (C.D. Cal.).

Represented Plaintiff in obtaining preliminary injunction involving MONSTER ENERGY trademark.

Deckers Outdoor Corporation vs. Bon-Ton Stores, Inc., 2:08-cv-08074-ODW-VBK (C.D. Cal. 2009).

Represented Defendant Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. in design patent infringement litigation involving boot designs. Obtained transfer of litigation to client's preferred venue and ultimately favorable settlement for client.

Deckers Outdoor Corporation vs. Aldo U.S. Inc., et al., 2:08-cv-07289-R-FFM (C.D. Cal. 2009).

Represented Defendants Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. and Alloy Media, LLC in design patent infringement litigation involving boot designs. Case settled favorably for clients.

Robert, Jr., Inc. v. Run Athletics International, LLC, 09-cv-1180 R (JCx) Central District of CA (C.D. Cal. 2009).

Represented defendant in patent infringement litigation involving shoe design. Case settled favorably for defendant.

Amirsys, Inc. v. Structurad, LLC et al., 2:07-CV-573-DB (D. Utah 2007).

Represented plaintiff in copyright infringement suit involving subscription website relating to radiology content, resulting in mediated settlement.

Parallax Group International, LLC v. BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc.,and, Venture Products, LLC, 07cv4211 SJO (Ex) (C.D. Cal. 2007).

Represented defendant in design patent infringement litigation involving children's playmats. Case settled favorably for clients.

Robert Hidey Architects, Inc. v. Richard John Cardoza and Ritner Group, Inc., SACV 8:07-00292-JVS (ANx) (C.D. Cal. 2007 ).

Represented defendant in copyright infringement case involving architectural drawings; case resolved through mediated settlement.

Winn, Inc. v. Compgrip USA Corp., 2007 WL 1417633 (C.D. Cal.)

Represented Plaintiff in obtaining summary judgment of patent infringement.

Automobile Club of Southern California v. The Auto Club, Ltd., 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19221.

Represented plaintiff in defeating summary judgment motion claiming trademark invalidity and non-infringement; See also 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19230 (represented plaintiff in obtaining summary judgment that defendants were unfairly competing by operating as a motor club in California without a license from the Department of Insurance).

Express, LLC v. Fetish Group, Inc., 424 F. Supp. 2d 1211, (C.D. Cal. 2006).

Obtained summary judgment of copyright infringement in defendant’s lace and embroidery design on clothing; See also 464 F. Supp 2d 965 (obtained summary judgment dismissing plaintiff’s fraud and unfair competition claims).

Broadcom Corp. v. BroadVoice, Inc., SACV05-431 DOC (2005).

Represented plaintiff in trademark infringement suit and later obtained settlement through mediation.

Mattel, Inc. v. Simba Toys GmbH & Co. KG et al., (CV-03-9388 MMM) (2003).

Represented defendant in copyright and trade dress infringement suit resulting in mediated settlement.

Winn Inc. v. Eaton Corporation, 272 F. Supp. 2d 968 (C.D. Cal. 2003).

Represented Plaintiff in successfully defeating defendant's motion for summary judgment of non-infringement and invalidity of Plaintiff's patents relating to golf club grips.

Ford Motor Co., Carroll Shelby et al. v. Superformance International Replicars, Inc., 251 F. Supp. 2d 983, (D. Mass. 2002).

Represented defendant in obtaining summary judgment dismissing Carroll Shelby’s claims to trade dress rights in shape of Cobra vehicle.

Ford Motor Co. v. Ultra Coachbuilders Inc., 57 U.S.P.Q. 2d 1356 (C.D. Cal. 2000).

Represented defendant in defeating Ford Motor Co.’s motion for preliminary injunction against limousine manufacturer’s retention of Ford emblems on converted automobiles; denial of injunction upheld on appeal by 9th Circuit.

Modtech, Inc. v. Designed Facilities Construction, Inc., 48 U.S.P.Q. 2d 1208 (C.D. Cal. 1998) and 51 U.S.P.Q.2d 1206 (C.D. Cal. 1999).

Represented plaintiff in obtaining preliminary injunction enforcing copyrights in architectural drawings; obtained contempt order following defendant’s violation of injunction.

Terri Lee Associates et al. v. Doll City, USA, SACV-97-6 (AHS) (C.D. Cal. 1998)

Represented plaintiff in trademark and rights of publicity case involving collectible dolls; case resolved through mediated settlement after issuance of preliminary injunction in plaintiff's favor.

Beam System, Inc. v. Checkpoint Systems, Inc. et al., 42 U.S.P.Q. 2d 1461 (C.D. Cal. 1997).

Represented one of defendants in obtaining dismissal of copyright infringement claims involving computer software.

Asia Entertainment Inc. v. Nguyen, 40 U.S.P.Q.2d 1183 (C.D. Cal. 1996).

Obtained summary judgment of copyright infringement in favor of plaintiff involving music and sound recording copyrights; after subsequent trial, attorney fees awarded in favor of client, Asia Entertainment.

Dogloo, Inc. v. Doskocil Mfg. Co., Inc., 893 F. Supp. 911 (C.D. Cal. 1995).

Represented plaintiff in obtaining preliminary injunction enforcing trade dress rights in shape of dog kennel.

Essie Cosmetics, Inc. v. Dae Do International, Ltd. et al., 808 F. Supp. 952 (E.D.N.Y. 1992).

Represented plaintiff in obtaining preliminary injunction enforcing trade dress rights in shape of nail polish bottle.

Awards & Honors

Lynda has received multiple awards and has been honored in both national and international forums for her legal accomplishments:

Recognized in the Legal Media Group's (LMG) "Best of the Best USA" guide as one of the top 30 trademark practitioners in the United States (2021 and 2019)
Selected by her peers for inclusion in the 2017 - 2021 editions of The Best Lawyers in America® for her work in Intellectual Property Litigation
Recognized in the World Trademark Review (WTR) 1000 as a "Leading Trademark Lawyer" from 2012 - 2021. In 2017, Lynda was described as “strong in anti-counterfeiting and domain name matters” and that she “brings value through her ability to manage international cases, especially with her prior experience as a barrister in the UK”. In the 2018 guide, Lynda’s clients and peers commented that she is a “super-experienced IP litigator”, “extremely knowledgeable and fun to work with” and that she is a “tough opponent, but is simultaneously cordial and reasonable”. The 2019 guide described her as someone who "puts in the extra effort to understand her clients' business; she can navigate any challenge and employs creative thinking to find solutions. Her time spent abroad means she is also familiar with the nuances of trademark law in various jurisdictions, which is a bonus." In the 2020 guide, she was also noted for her "case and team management skills; she trains associates thoroughly and gives them responsibility while leveraging the firm's paralegal corps and other support staff well". In the 2021 guide, she was celebrated as a skilled litigator "through all phases of litigation," with the ability to take on any IP case; also described as a "backbone of the litigation practice."
Selected by Super Lawyers magazine for intellectual property litigation (2004, and consecutively from 2009 - 2013, and 2020-2021)
Repeatedly named in Legal Media Group's "Women in Business Law" guide from 2010 - 2017 and 2019
Listed in the 2018 and 2020 edition of Expert Guides as one of the "World's Leading Advisors Chosen by their Peers" for Trademarks
Named as one of the world’s leading trademark practitioners in "Who's Who Legal: Trademarks" list, by Law Business Research (2006, 2007, and consecutively from 2009 - 2019)
Named as one of the world’s leading patents lawyers in the "Who's Who Legal: Patents" list, by Law Business Research (2019). Lynda was described as “a first-rate practitioner who focuses on IP litigation, an area in which she is considered a go-to name in the US market.”
Recognized in Lawyer Monthly magazine's "2015 Women in Law Awards" for her outstanding achievements in the legal profession.
Nominated by in-house counsel and her peers around the world to appear in Euromoney Legal Media Group's Guide to the World's Leading Trademark Law Practitioners (2006, 2007, 2012, and 2014)

Named as a Top Women Attorney in Southern California by Super Lawyers (2012 and 2013)
Nominated for the Orange County Business Journal Women In Business Awards (2006 and 2007)

Articles

Co-author, How High Court May Resolve Generic'.Com' TM Issue, Law360 (November 2019)

Co-author, Supreme Court Case Highlights the Importance of Applying for Copyright Registration as Soon as Possible, ECONTENT (March 2019)

Co-author, The Supreme Court limits the scope of "full costs" in the Copyright Act fee-shifting provision, Knobbe Martens Firm Alert (March 2019)

Co-author, The Supreme Court holds that a copyright claimant may not sue for infringement until the Copyright Office has granted or refused registration of the work at issue, Knobbe Martens Firm Alert (March 2019)

Co-author, GDPR: Ready for the EU's New Data Privacy Law? What You Need to Know, Knobbe Martens Firm Alert (January 2018)

Contributing author, United States Chapter, International Design Protection, published by Globe Law and Business Ltd. (March 2017)

Contributing author, United States Chapter, Trade Secret Protection: A Global Guide, published by Globe Law and Business (January 2016)

Co-author, Getting the Deal Through: Trademarks 2016, published by Law Business Research Ltd. (September 2015)

Co-author, Kluwers Advertising Treatise - United States Chapter, Wolters Kluwer Law & Business (September 2015)

Contributing author, Licenses and Insolvency, A Practical Guide to the Effects of Insolvency on IP License Agreements, published by International Bar Association (October 2014)

Co-author, Supreme Court Decision POM Wonderful LLC v. Coca-Cola Co: What You Need to Know, Knobbe Martens Firm Alert (June 2014)

Contributing thoughts in "Legal Perspective on Negative Online Reviews: What Both Sides Should Consider Before Jumping Into the Fray," JD Supra Perspectives (February 2014)

Contributing author, Trademark Surveys, Volume 1, Designing, Implementing and Evaluating Surveys, published by ABA Section of Intellectual Property Law (2013)

Law360 Q&A with Knobbe's Lynda Zadra-Symes, Law360 (June 2013)

Author, The Current State of Copyright Exhaustion in the U.S., Presented at the AIPLA 2013 Spring Meeting (May 2013)

Author, Anti-counterfeiting strategies in the United States, North American Regional Forum News (Newsletter of the International Bar Association Legal Practice Division) (April 2013)

Contributing author, "International Design Protection", Globe Law and Business (May 2012)

Author, Avoiding IP Troubles Online, The Patriot (February 2012)

Author, The potential pitfalls of comparative advertising, World Trademark Review (2010)

Co-author, Anti-Counterfeiting Strategies: What You Need to Know, Orange County Lawyer (August 2007)

Author, Controlling Counterfeit Trade in Tangible Products Over the Internet (2006)

Author, Sounds, Smells, Shapes and Colors: Protection and Enforcement of Nontraditional Trademarks in the U.S. (2005)

Speeches & Seminars

"The Social Network: Current Legal Issues in Social Media," Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) - Southern California DoubleHeader (November 2015)

"The Legalities of Fashion - Intellectual Property Workshop," Fashion Week San Diego (September 2013)

"Understanding Trade Secrets and Trade Secret Misappropriation," IP Impact San Diego - Trademark Seminar (July 2013)

"What You Need to Know About Copyright Exhaustion Without Getting Exhausted," AIPLA 2013 Spring Meeting (May 2013)

"You've Just Been Sued - What to do in the First 30 Days," Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) - Southern California DoubleHeader (April 2013)

"Avoiding Trade Secret Misappropriation, False Advertising & Unfair Competition Claims," Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) - Southern California In-House Counsel Conference (January 2013)

"Hiring Competitor’s Top Talent & Being Fiercely Competitive Without Exposing Your Company," Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) - Southern California In-House Counsel Conference (January 2013)

"Winning at the Outset: Improving Chances of Success on a Preliminary Injunction Motion," AIPLA (October 2010)

"Controlling Counterfeit Trade in Tangible Products Over the Internet," Worldwide Piracy Prevention Conference (2006)