Biography Photo of Catherine F Hoffman

Catherine F. Hoffman

Ms. Hoffman is a member of the firm’s Trademark and Intellectual Property Litigation practice groups. She brings to the firm her vast experience in managing global intellectual property portfolios for foreign and domestic clients. Ms. Hoffman’s approach to protecting intellectual property for her clients focuses on achieving a proper balance on return on investment of the client and managing the client’s risk tolerance.

Upon graduation from Emory University's Goizueta Business School, Ms. Hoffman worked as a Software Engineer for Burroughs Corporation and Electronic Data Systems, traveling the world to implement and test banking software solutions. After earning her law degree from the University of Miami School of Law, Ms. Hoffman served as a law clerk to the Honorable C. Clyde Atkins (S.D. Fla.) and later served as a staff attorney for the Honorable John W. Dell and the Honorable George W. Hersey at the Florida Appellate Courts, Fourth District Court of Appeal.

Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Hoffman was the Managing Partner of a boutique intellectual property firm for twelve years where she prosecuted trademarks, litigated utility and design patent cases, trademark infringement, and unfair competition cases to name a few. Ms. Hoffman practices before Federal District Court and Appellate Courts and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board to resolve disputes involving trademarks, copyrights, patents and domain name disputes.

Education & Credentials

Education

Emory University

B.B.A., 1982

University of Miami School of Law

J.D., 1989

Bar Admission

  • Florida1989

Acknowledgements

  • South Florida Legal Guide
    • "Top Lawyer," 2021 
  • Best Lawyers in America®
    • Commercial Litigation, 2021-2024  
  • Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business
    • Intellectual Property
  • Florida Super Lawyer®
    • Intellectual Property, 2014-2023
  • Martindale-Hubbell® AV Rating 
  •  Advocacy Division of Unfair Competition INTA Committee
    • Subcommittee Chair, 2017-2019
  • Florida Legal Elite
    • Top 2% of Florida’s Preeminent Lawyers, 2007, 2008, 2013, and 2015

Prominent Assignments

  • MICHAEL POWELL V. THE HOME DEPOT USA, INC., U.S. District Court for the S. Dist. of Fla., CASE NO: 07-80435-CIV-HURLEY/HOPKINS
    Result: $15,000,000 jury verdict for client with finding of willful infringement and attorneys’ fee award to bring the total award to over $24,000,000
  • PETER REISENTHEL D/B/A REISENTHEL ACCESSORIES V. MAD BAGS, LLC, ET AL., U.S. District Court for the E. Div. of Illinois, CASE NO: 09-CV-04971-PALLMEYER
    Result: Consent order in favor of client with finding of trademark and trade dress infringement with seizure and destruction of >2,000 counterfeit units
  • HIMOINSA POWER SYSTEMS, INC. ET AL. V. POWER LINK MACHINE CO., U.S. District Court for Kansas, CASE NO: 08-02601-CIV-MLB-KMH
    Result: Dismissal for lack of jurisdiction in favor of client
  • VMR PRODUCTS LLC V. V2H APS, V2 TOBACCO AND KRETEK INTERNATIONAL, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida and U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, CASE NO: 13-07719-CBM
    Result: Summary Judgment for Defendants on False Advertising Claim; Judgment for Defendants on Plaintiff’s trademark infringement claims after nonjury trial
  • CHAMBER OF INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE WUPPERTAL-SOLINGEN-REMSCHEID V. MARTHA STEWART, MARTHA STEWART LIVING OMNIMEDIA, INC., EMERIL LAGASSE, HSNi, LLC, and SED INTERNATIONAL, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, CASE NO: 13-00563-CIV-MSS
    Result: Stipulated Motion for Entry of Permanent Injunction by Consent Against all Defendants in counterfeiting and infringement case
  • SBD APPARREL LIMITED V. A7 FITNESS INC., U.S. District Court for the Norther n District of Georgia, CASE NO: 17-4516-CIV-AT
    Result: Consent Order in design patent infringement litigation

Professional Involvement

  • International Trademark Association's Enforcement Committee
    • Member, 2022 – 2023 
  • International Trademark Association (INTA)
  • Coalition Against Counterfeiting and Piracy
  • Intellectual Property Committee, Business Law Section, The Florida Bar
  • Past Member of the International Network of Boutique Law Firms
  • Broward County Bar Association

Community Involvement

  • Volunteer Poll Watcher

Court Admissions

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. District Court for Northern District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (pro hac vice)
  • U.S. District Court for the Central District of California Federal Court (pro hac vice)
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (pro hac vice)
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas (pro hac vice)
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri (pro hac vice)
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (pro hac vice)

Experience

  • Law Clerk, Honorable C. Clyde Atkins, Senior Judge, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida (1989-1991)
  • Staff Attorney to the Honorable John W. Dell, Fourth District Court of Appeal, Florida (1994-1995)
  • Staff Attorney to the Honorable George W. Hersey, Fourth District Court of Appeal, Florida (1995-1996)

Publications/Presentations

  • INTA Roundtable Host and Moderator, Proper Use of Trademarks in Advertising and Product Packaging, 2011
  • IPLS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW SOCIETY, Moderator, Corporate Counsel Luncheon, Relevant IP Issues for Corporate Counsel, 2011
  • American Intellectual Property Law Association Panel Speaker, Design Patent Litigation – The New Frontier, 2010
  • Keynote Speaker -- Seminar to business owners and industrial companies in the Wuppertal, Solingen, and Remscheild regions of Germany titled: “Protecting Your Intellectual Property in the United States," 2007
  • “Misstatement of First Use Date is Not Fraud”, International Trademark Association (INTA) Bulletin, Vol. 67, No. 8, May 1, 2012, p. 10.
  • “COLOMBIANO COFFE HOUSE Denied Registration Based on Certification Mark COLOMBIAN for Coffee”, International Trademark Association (INTA) Bulletin, Vol. 67, No. 8, May 1, 2012, p. 10.
  • “Not All Mangos are Alike or Smell the Same”, International Trademark Association (INTA) Bulletin, Vol. 67, No. 8, April 15, 2012, p. 16.
  • “HANGBOARD Mark Barely Glides Through for Approval for Supplemental Register”, International Trademark Association (INTA) Bulletin, Vol. 67, No. 3, February 1, 2012, p. 13.
  • “Although Foreign Equivalent, French Mark for Wine Wins”, International Trademark Association (INTA) Bulletin, Vol. 66, No. 21, December 1, 2011, p. 10.
  • “Court Says Consumers Know Havana Club Rum is Not From Cuba”, International Trademark Association (INTA) Bulletin, Vol. 66, No. 17, October 1, 2011, p. 10.
  • “TTAB Cuts Up Saw Manufacturer’s Registration Arguments”, International Trademark Association (INTA) Bulletin, Vol. 66, No. 16, September 15, 2011, p. 11.
  • “United States: Establishment of IP Enforcement Committee", International Trademark Association (INTA) Bulletin, Vol. 66, No. 14.
  • “United States: Cancellation Claims Precluded as Res Judicata", International Trademark Association (INTA) Bulletin, Vol. 66, No. 9.
  • “Establishment of IP Enforcement Committees”, International Trademark Association (INTA) Bulletin, Vol. 66, No. 7, April 1, 2011, p. 15.
  • “Gas Station 'Pole Spanner' Design Found Nondistinctive”, International Trademark Association (INTA) Bulletin, Vol. 66, No. 4, Feb. 15, 2011, p. 11.
  • “Initials Can Make Name Not Merely a Surname", International Trademark Association (INTA) Bulletin, Vol. 65, No. 20.
  • “Initials Can Make Name Not Merely a Surname”, International Trademark Association (INTA) Bulletin, Vol. 65, No. 19, Nov. 1, 2010, p. 11.
  • “U.S. Companies Win $78 Million Verdict Against Chinese Cybersquatters”, International Trademark Association (INTA) Bulletin, Vol. 65, No. 19, Nov. 1, 2010, p. 11.
  • “Open for Business”, American Lawyer Magazine Intellectual Property Supplement, Fall 2010, pps. 31-32.
  • “Subpar Examination Practice Frustrates TTAB”, International Trademark Association (INTA) Bulletin, Vol. 65, No. 16, Sept. 15, 2010, p. 15.
  • “Ruling Allows Bacardi to Continue Using HAVANA CLUB Mark”, International Trademark Association (INTA) Bulletin, Vol. 65, No. 14, Aug. 1, 2010, p. 10.
  • “Proceedings Resume in Oldest Pending TTAB Case”, International Trademark Association (INTA) Bulletin, Vol. 65, No. 13, July 15, 2010, p. 11.
  • “TTAB Rejects Applicant's Menu of Arguments for Restaurant Mark”, International Trademark Association (INTA) Bulletin, Vol. 65, No. 10, May 15, 2010, p. 10.
  • “TTAB Puts Brakes on Tire Company’s Opposition”, International Trademark Association (INTA) Bulletin, Vol. 65, No. 10, May 15, 2010, p. 11.
  • “Picture Not Worth a Thousand Words as Applied to a Web-Based Specimen”, International Trademark Association (INTA) Bulletin, Vol. 65, No. 5, March 1, 2010, p. 13.
  • “Ninth Circuit Broadens Scope of Civil Penalty for Counterfeit Goods Bearing Registered Trademarks”, International Trademark Association (INTA) Bulletin, Vol. 64, No. 2, Jan. 15, 2009, p. 8.
  • AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION Publication: Annual Review of Developments in Business and Corporate Litigation, 2009, 2010
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