Overview
Jeffrey L. Van Hoosear focuses on international trademark and unfair competition matters. His practice also includes domestic and foreign trademark selection and searches, trademark and copyright prosecution, proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, intellectual property licensing, domain name and website content issues and state rights of publicity.
Jeff represents a number of clients in the apparel and hospitality industries, and also represents clients in the food and beverage, aesthetics, jewelry, toys, financial, insurance, and entertainment industries.
Representative clients include Jacuzzi Brands, Ulthera, Hawaiian Host, Mauna Loa, Earth Friendly Products, Machine Jeans, Pacific Life, SchoolsFirst, First American, and Exemplis.
Jeff is the Co-Chair of the Trademark and Brand Protection Group and is also an active writer for the firm’s Fashion & Beauty Blog.
Education
- Boston University School of Law (J.D., 1986)
- Beloit College (B.A. Government, 1983), cum laude, Dean's List, Martha Peterson Award, Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society
Recognition
Awards & Honors
Jeff has received multiple awards and has been honored in both national and international forums for his legal accomplishments:
- Recognized in the “Best Lawyers 2026 Guide” for Trademark Law in Best Lawyers in America (2025)
- Recognized in World Trademark Review 1000: The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals guide (2024-2025)
- Recognized in Lexology Index: IP 2025-2026 guide for outstanding Trademark work
- Recognized by The Legal 500 “United States” for Trademarks: Non-Contentious (2024-2025)
- Recognized in The Legal 500 “United States” (2015, 2019 – 2023) as being an outstanding practitioner. In the guide, he was noted for leading a “well-rounded” trademarks group.
- Recognized in the World Trademark Review (WTR) 1000 as a “Leading Trademark Lawyer” (2012 – 2023). In the 2018 guide, editors commented that “branding woes in the fashion and sporting industries” are Jeff’s specialty and that a “distinguishing feature of his practice is his uncompromising focus on customer service”. He was also commended by a peer that he is a “terrific attorney who can quickly grasp tricky concepts”. In 2019, his clients said that he “has the keys to unlock brand value in the apparel and beauty industries” and “turns a practiced hand to all non-contentious briefs”. In 2022, Jeff was characterized as bringing “special qualities to the practice” and demonstrating “excellent leadership.” In 2023, he was described as someone who “gives contemporary and sophisticated advice and knows how to get clients the best protection for their budget.”
- Named a “World IP Leader” by World Intellectual Property Review (WIPR) (2016, 2023 – 2024)
- Recognized in the 2015 “Who’s Who Legal 100” by Law Business Research.
- Received the “Best USA Lawyer – Unfair Competition” award in the 2014 “Legal Awards” by Acquisition International.
- Recognized in the Guide to the World’s Leading Trademark Law Practitioners (2012 – 2014).
- Repeatedly nominated as one of the world’s leading trademark practitioners in the “Who’s Who Legal: Trademarks” list by Law Business Research.
Affiliations
- American Bar Association
- Chicago Bar Association
- Orange County Bar Association
- International Trademark Association (INTA)
News & Insights
Articles
Co-author, “Fair Play, Trademarks and Sponsorships: How to Navigate the Olympics Season,” Reuters Westlaw, July 2024.
Co-author, “Predictions in 3 Key Areas for IP Practitioners This Year,” Law360 (January 2023)
“But It’s a Photo of Me!”-Celebrities Face Legal Action for Unauthorized Use of Images on Social Media, Fashion & Beauty Blog (April 2020)
“So You Want to Be Famous – Do You Have $10 Billion? Patagonia Trademark Deemed Famous for Trademark Dilution Claim,” Fashion & Beauty Blog (November 2019)
“Saks & Calvin Klein Accused of Copyright and Patent Infringement,” Fashion & Beauty Blog (February 2019)
“Federal Circuit Weighs in on Converse’s Midsole Trade Dress,” IP Litigator (January/February 2019)
“Likes, Tweets & #’s, Oh My! Elevate Your Social Media Audit,”Orange County Business Journal (October 2018)
“When Plaid Goes Bad – Burberry Files Infringement Suit Against Target Over Burberry’s Iconic Plaid Design,” Knobbe Martens Fashion & Beauty Blog (May 2018)
“Beware! A Trademark Trial and Appeals Board Decision Can Stop You in Your Tracks,” Knobbe Martens Fashion & Beauty Blog (January 2018)
“What’s My Taco Bell Doing in Your Forever 21?,” Orange County Business Journal (October 2017)
“Using Pop Culture References in Advertisements? Just Do It Right,” Orange County Business Journal (October 2016)
“Yosemite Case Suggests No ‘Iconic Names Exception’ For TMs,” Law360 (March 2016)
“To Tweet or Not to Tweet: Social Media and Intellectual Property Issues,” Orange County Business Journal (October 2015)
Getting the Deal Through: Trademarks 2016, published by Law Business Research Ltd. (September 2015)
“Google Inc. v. Oracle America Inc.,” Orange County Business Journal – Intellectual Property Supplement (July 2015)
“Protecting Your Company’s Intellectual Property through an IP Audit: a Guide for Small to Mid-Sized Businesses,” Book Co-Author (Published 2013)
“From Trademark to Registration: Getting it Right the First Time,” Orange County Lawyer (April 2012)
“Industry Joins the Fight for the Red Sole,” Managing Intellectual Property (January 2012)
Speeches & Seminars
“Top Ten IP Issues and Trends, Association of Corporate Counsel” (ACC) (2019)
“Global Intellectual Property Systems: The International Registration of Trademarks, Using the Madrid System”, Served as Panelist at Protecting Your IP Overseas: WIPO Services and Initiatives, a Knobbe Martens Seminar – San Diego, CA (November 2016)
“Intellectual Property (IP) Issues,” FAB Authority Workshop, San Diego, CA (March 2016)
“What In-House Counsel and Internal Business Units Need to Know About IP Law,” Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) – Southern California In-House Counsel Conference (January 2016)
“The Social Network: Current Legal Issues in Social Media,” Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) – Southern California DoubleHeader (November 2015)
“Intellectual Property Workshop,” FAB Authority, San Diego, CA (July 2015)
UCI School of Law Intellectual Property Essentials, Workshop Instructor, Irvine, CA (March 2015)
“Protecting Your Copyrights, Trademarks and Domain Names”, Presented at the OneOC and Public Law Center “Branding Impact” Series, Santa Ana, CA (February 2015)
“The Legalities of Fashion”, Presented at San Diego Fashion Week, San Diego, CA (September 2013)
“Trade Secret, Trademark, False Advertising and Unfair Competition Issues”, Served as Panelist at IP Impact – Trademark Seminar – Silicon Valley, Menlo Park, CA (July 2013)
“Trade Secret, Trademark, False Advertising and Unfair Competition Issues”, Served as Panelist at IP Impact – Trademark Seminar, San Diego, CA (July 2013)
“Trade Secret, Trademark, False Advertising & Unfair Competition Issues”, Served as Panelist at IP Impact Seminar, San Diego, CA (June 2013)
Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) – In House Counsel Conference, Participant, Beverly Hills, CA (January 2013)
“Avoiding Trade Secret Misappropriation, False Advertising & Unfair Competition Claims”, Participated in the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) – Southern California In-House Counsel Conference, Los Angeles, CA (January 2013)
“Hiring Competitor’s Top Talent & Being Fiercely Competitive Without Exposing Your Company”, Participated in the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) – Southern California In-House Counsel Conference, Los Angeles, CA (January 2013)
“Soarin’ Over Your Trademarks – Keys to Monetizing Your Brands”, Presenter at the American Corporate Counsel (ACC) SoCal Double Header, Anaheim, CA (May 2012)
“Jungle Cruise: Navigating the Murky Waters of the New Top Level Domain Name Launch”, Presenter at the American Corporate Counsel (ACC) SoCal Double Header, Anaheim, CA (May 2012)
“The New gTLD Program: What, When, and Why”, Presented to the Orange County Patent Law Association, Irvine, CA (April 2012)
Fashion & Beauty Blog
