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Mike has three decades of intellectual property enforcement experience and is the co-chair of the Firm’s Litigation practice group. Since 2000, he has represented clients in more than 200 intellectual property cases in courts in California and 21 other states. He previously served as the co-chair of the Firm’s Trademark and Brand Protection Litigation practice group and its Consumer Products Litigation practice group.
His practice focuses on patent, trademark, trade secret, and copyright cases, and his cases have spanned a wide range of industries and technologies, including consumer products, semiconductors, tactical products, medical devices, computer software, apparel, restaurants, and financial services. He has represented brand-name companies including Oakley, Luxottica, ITT, Makita, Pacific Life Insurance Company, Carl’s Jr., Microsemi, NASCAR, Daytona International Speedway, Game Show Network, Razor, Volcom, Specialized Bicycle, Mexicana Airlines, and SRS Labs, among others.
He is frequently asked to speak on intellectual property litigation subjects. He has been named a “Southern California Super Lawyer” in the category of IP litigation every year since 2004. OC Metro Magazine has repeatedly named him as one of “O.C.’s Top Lawyers” in the category of IP law. He is the Secretary of the Harvard Law School Association and a member of its Executive Committee. He is a co-founder and former president of the Harvard Law School Association of Orange County. Mike is a member of INTA’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee. He has taught as an adjunct professor at Whittier School of Law and served as a JAG officer with the California State Military Reserve. He worked as Reserve Deputy with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department for 16 years, retiring as a Lieutenant.
When he isn’t practicing law, Mike visits Disneyland with his wife, roots for his sons’ teams (one went to UCLA and the other Michigan and USC), plays tennis, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Bob Hope USO.
Recognized in the World Trademark Review (WTR) 1000 as a "Leading Trademark Lawyer" in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. In 2023, he was described as having “decades of litigation experience encompassing all kinds of IP action.” In 2022, he was commended for his "advanced state of preparedness" and a client remarked, "there's nothing he hasn't seen." In the 2021 guide, he was described as a "backbone of the litigation practice," and adept at litigating "cases associated with all categories of IP rights." In the 2020 guide, he was noted as being "on the cutting edge of enforcement for three decades" and described by a client as "a sophisticated and thoughtful professional who understands how to get things done".
Selected for inclusion in the "Southern California Super Lawyers" list every year since 2004 and was recognized for his work in intellectual property litigation by Super Lawyers Magazine. He was selected as a "Top 50 O.C. Super Lawyer" in 2012 and 2013.
In each annual edition published since 2009, OC Metro magazine named Mr. Friedland as one of “O.C.’s Top Lawyers” in the category of Intellectual Property Law.
"Questions to Ask to Avoid Exclusion of Trademark Surveys," IP Watchdog (August 2022)
Michael Friedland and Paul Stewart, "The Federal Circuit in July: A 'Prior Art' Decision to Know," Law360 (July 2022)
“Be Thorough and Creative in Selecting Experts in Trademark Cases,” the Daily Journal (July 2022)
“Best Practices for Using Experts in Trademark Litigation Before the TTAB and in Federal District Court,” AIPLA Spring Meeting Session Materials (2022)
“Choosing the Right IP to Protect Fashion Goods,” ABA Landslide (March/April 2022)
"Design Protection in the Fashion Industry: Design Patents, Trademarks, Trade Dress, and Copyright," AIPLA Design Rights Boot Camp Session Materials (July 2019)
"Design Protection in the Fashion Industry," Orange County Business Journal Intellectual Property Supplement (July 2019)
"The Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 - New Federal Protection for Trade Secrets," Orange County Business Journal IntellectualProperty Supplement (July 2016)
Chapter author, Chapter 10 “What to Expect in Litigation,” Pre-Litigation Patent Enforcement (West Pub. 2008)
“Antitrust Implications of Patent Settlements: Balancing Patent Policy, Antitrust Law, and the Practical Limits of Litigation,” 9 Engage 89 (2008)
“State Sovereign Immunity for Patent Infringement Claims, Five Years After Florida Prepaid,” 6 Engage 72 (2005)
"Safety Net: Two Things Every E-Business and Institution Should Know About the Digital Millennium Copyright Act," Stanford Technology Law Review (1998)
Copyrighting “Look and Feel”: Manufacturers Technologies v. CAMS, 3 Harvard Journal of Law and Technology 195 (1990)
Speeches & Seminars
Panelist, “How Not to Lose the Privilege in Opinions, Prosecution, and Litigation,” Association of Corporate Counsel (2023)
Speaker, “Design Rights in Textiles and Clothing,” AIPLA Design Rights Boot Camp (2022)
Panelist, “Best of Trademarks: Best Cases, Best Practices, and Best Battles,” American Intellectual Properly Law Association Spring Meeting (2022)
Panelist, “Landslide Webinar Series: The Ins and Outs of IP Rights for the Fashion Industry,” American Bar Association (2022)
Panelist, "Will Trademarks Survive the Rise of the Machines?" Intellectual Property in a Digital World (2020)
Panelist, “Licensing Issues in Publicity and Related Rights,” Association of Corporate Counsel (2020)
Panelist, “Trade Secret Protection: Best Practices for Maintaining Your Company’s Secret Sauce as a Secret,” Association of Corporate Counsel (2019)
Panelist, "IP Law Strategies for Startups," Orange County Innovation Week (2019)
Speaker, “Design Rights in Textiles and Clothing,” AIPLA Design Rights Boot Camp (2019)
Moderator, "The Psychology of Mediating and Participating in Mediations," INTA Annual Meeting (2019)
Moderator, “Cracking the Code: Data Privacy and Cyber Security, the Latest Threats and How to Prepare,” Association for Corporate Growth (2019)
Speaker, "The Complex World of Data Privacy and Security in the Medical Space," DeviceAlliance and Knobbe Martens Seminar (2018)
Speaker, "GDPR, Data Breaches & Federal Agency Actions," Knobbe Martens Data Privacy Seminar (2018)
Speaker, "Data Privacy - What Keeps In-House Counsel Up at Night," Association of Corporate Counsel (2018)
Panelist, "Patent Venue: Fallout from TC Heartland v. Kraft Food," Intellectual Property Rights Practice Group Teleforum (2017)
Panelist, Fabric and Fashion Panel (protecting fashion after the Supreme Court's decision in Star Athletica), AIPLA Spring Meeting (2017)
Panelist, "Here's Looking at You Kid: Burberry v. Bogart LLC Mock Summary Judgment Hearing," Association of Corporate Counsel (2016)
Panelist, "Updates on IP Protection in the U.S.," Global IP ConfEx SFO (2015)
Panelist, "Building a Patent Practice," Los Angeles Intellectual Property Law Association (2014)
Speaker, "Intellectual Property Enforcement," Orange County Bar Association, Corporate Counsel Section (2014)
Panelist, "Build and Protect Business Value," Harvard Business School Association of Orange County (2014)
Panelist, "Design Patents: A Valuable Asset and a Powerful Enforcement Tool," OCTANe (2014)
Panelist, "Litigating Patents in the Central District: Local Practices and the Patent Pilot Program from the Practitioner's Perspective," Los Angeles Intellectual Property Law Association (2012)
Speaker, "Cease and Desist Letter Strategy," Orange County Patent Law Association (2012)
Speaker, “How to Win Your Cases Right Away (or How to Avoid Losing Right Away): Pre-Trial Remedies,” Riverside County Bar Association, Civil Litigation Section (2011)
Panelist, “Insurance Issues in Intellectual Property Litigation,” Orange County Bar Association, Corporate Counsel Section (2011)
Speaker, “Inequitable Conduct,” Washington State Bar Association 15th Annual Intellectual Property Law Institute (2010)
Speaker, “Intellectual Property: A Non-Specialist’s Guide to Protecting Your Client’s Interests From the Latest Traps,” Orange County Bar Association (2010)
Speaker, “Cease and Desist Letters: Tit for Tat,” Orange County Patent Law Association (2006)
Speaker, “When to Sue and When to Call the Cops: Protecting Your Clients’ IP Through Civil Enforcement and Referrals to Law Enforcement Agencies,” Orange County Bar Association Intellectual Property Section (2006)
Panelist, “Open Innovation,” Harvard Business School Association of Orange County, Irvine, California (2003)
Speaker, “Trade Secret Strategies,” Creative Strategies Seminar, Newport Beach, California (2002)
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