Professional Profiles & Email Directory

Christopher L. Graff

“Chris is an outstanding lawyer who handles our IP work in a very cost-effective way.” 
John Hempfling, Global Litigation Counsel,
Whole Foods Market
Shareholder attorney

Trop, Pruner & Hu, P.C.
7718 Wood Hollow Drive, Suite G-50
Austin, TX 78731
Off: (512) 418-9944
Fax: (512) 418-0544

Education

  • J.D., 1993, with honors, The University of Texas School of Law
  • B.B.A. Electrical Engineering Management, 1989, with highest honors, The University of Texas at Austin

Practice

  • Mr. Graff’s practice focuses on trademark and related unfair competition law, as well as copyright and trade secret law.  He represents clients in trademark and copyright litigation and enforcement actions, as well as counsels clients on all aspects of trademark selection, usage, prosecution, portfolio management and licensing.

  • From Fortune 500® multinational corporations to entrepreneurial start-ups to governmental agencies, Mr. Graff has represented numerous clients including:
    • Academy Sports & Outdoors
    • Allegro Coffee Company
    • Bone Daddy's, Inc
    • BrandStorm, Inc.
    • Burger King Corporation
    • Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    • Games 2U
    • Home Depot/Homer LLC
    • Inline Services, Inc.
    • Kracker Enterprises LLC / Dr. Kracker
    • Milwaukee Electric Tools
    • Plug Power Inc.
    • Rules-Based Medicine, Inc.
    • Texas Department of Transportation
    • The Biophysical Corporation
    • The University of Texas System
    • Whole Foods Market
    • Zebra Imaging, Inc.

Reported Decisions

  • Texas Dept. of Transportation v. Tucker, ___ USPQ2d ___ (TTAB Feb. 5, 2010)
  • Sefton v. Interactive Classifieds Network Corp., 201 F.Supp.2d 730 (W.D. Tex. 2001)
  • Quicksilver, Inc. v. Academy Corp., 1998 WL 874929 (N.D. Tex. 1998)
  • Mazandarani v. American Express Travel Related Services Co., Inc., 1996 WL 608483 (N.D. Tex. 1996)

Publications and Presentations

  • Author:  “Nominative Use and Fair Use of Trademarks on the Internet,” State Bar of Texas, Intellectual Property Law Section CLE (Houston, 2003)
  • Author: “Insurance Coverage of Trademark Infringement Claims: The Contradiction Among the Courts, and the Ramifications for Trademark Attorneys,” The Trademark Reporter, Vol. 89, No. 6 (November-December 1999)
  • Author: “Trademark Law and Gray Market Goods: An Overview,” 11th Annual Advanced International Law Institute (UT Law CLE, 1999)
  • Lecturer:  “Intellectual Property,” University of Texas at Austin, Executive MBA Program (Summer 2003)
  • Speaker:  “IP Issues Regarding the Internet,” State Bar of Texas, Intellectual Property Law Section Annual Meeting (Spring 2003)
  • Speaker: “How to Deal with Pirates, Counterfeiters and Gray Marketeers,” 11th Annual Advanced International Law Institute, Dallas (UT Law CLE, 1999)

Miscellaneous Information

  • Member, State Bar of Texas
  • Admitted to practice before the United States District Courts for the Northern, 1996, Southern, 1997, Eastern, 1997, and Western, 1997, District of Texas
  • Member, American Intellectual Property Association
  • Member, International Trademark Association
  • Member, Austin Intellectual Property Law Association
  • Member, Travis County Bar Association
  • Member, State Bar of Texas; Litigation and Intellectual Property Law Sections
  • Recognized as one of Texas’ Rising Legal Stars by TEXAS MONTHLY magazine

     

 

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