Ira J Levy

Ira J. Levy

Retired Partner
Ira J. Levy
New York

Ira Levy is a retired partner in Goodwin’s Litigation Department and a member of its Intellectual Property practice. He is recognized globally for his cross-disciplinary expertise, successfully first-chairing patent, trademark, copyright, false advertising, IP licensing, and related matters for a wide array of industries and in a variety of technical disciplines. Mr. Levy is fluent across many product categories and technical disciplines, and has extensive experience with disputes involving biotechnology, electrochemistry, and pharmaceuticals; electronics, computers and telecommunications; mechanical devices; industrial and consumer products; and the Internet, new media and e-commerce.

Mr. Levy has handled as first chair numerous bench and jury trials in federal and state courts nationwide. He also has significant experience practicing before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and the U.S. Supreme Court. In addition to his litigation work, Mr. Levy works closely with the firm’s Business Law Practice counseling clients on general corporate matters involving intellectual property and the Internet, as well as transactional due diligence, and other licensing issues.

Experience

Mr. Levy has advised and represented numerous companies regarding intellectual property disputes, litigation and counseling, including: Campbell Soup Company, Pepperidge Farms, Inc., Godiva, Inc., PepsiCo, Inc., The New York Times Company, The Boston Globe, boston.com, J.P. Morgan Chase, Honest Tea, Inc., New Balance Athletic Shoes, IBM and Teva Pharmaceuticals, Inc. His recent work has included:

  • Representing B&B Hardware in a 7-2 trademark victory before the U.S. Supreme Court in B&B Hardware, Inc. v. Hargis Industries, Inc.
  • Representing Varsity Brands, Inc. in a 7-2 copyright victory before the U.S. Supreme Court in Star Athletica, LLC v. Varsity Brands, Inc.
  • Representing AgaMatrix, LLC. In securing summary determination of non-infringement in a matter before the International Trade Commission concerning blood glucose monitors.
  • Representing Osram and securing summary determination of patent invalidity and non-infringement in a matter before the international trade commission in a matter concerning light emitting diodes.  In re Certain Light-Emitting Diodes and Products Containing the Same, ITC Investigation 337-TA-802.
  • Representing The New York Times and The Boston Globe in first impression copyright and trademark litigation regarding fair use and news aggregation on the World Wide Web.
  • First-chaired back to back trials for Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (and secured back-to back non-infringement verdicts) in a matter concerning the drug Suboxone
  • Representing Teva Pharmaceuticals in patent litigation concerning multiple pharmaceuticals.
  • Representing a major financial services company in defeating an application for a temporary restraining order seeking to shut down the roll-out of a national advertising campaign.
  • Representing Honest Tea, Inc. in connection with trademark and advertising issues.
  • Representing Campbell Soup Company in multiple trademark and advertising lawsuits.
  • Representing Pepperidge Farms, Inc. in multiple trademark and advertising lawsuits.
  • Representing the Chabad Lubavitch in copyright infringement litigation concerning religious texts – matter won on summary judgment.
  • Representing a major computer software company in trademark, domain name and false advertising litigation.
  • Representing New Balance in trademark litigation.
  • Representing IBM in trademark litigation.
  • Representing JPMorgan Chase in the management of its trademark portfolio, and related trademark and advertising litigation.
  • Representing L’Oreal and Polo Ralph Lauren in defeating an application for a preliminary injunction brought by Calvin Klein seeking to enjoin the launch of Ralph Lauren Romance perfume.

Advising various designers and celebrities in connection with personal and branding rights.

Professional Activities

Mr. Levy presently serves as the lead director for Stomp Out Bullying, the leading national anti-bullying and anti-cyber-bullying organization, and on the advisory board of BUILD, a non-profit focused on bringing entrepreneurialism skills to at-risk high school students. He is past director of Love Our Children, USA, a not-for-profit focused on breaking the cycle of violence against children. Mr. Levy has been an active member of the New York Intellectual Property Law Association, International Trademark Association, American Intellectual Property Law Association, Pharmaceutical Trademarks Group and the Legal Aid Society. He has also acted as pro bono counsel to the United Way of New York City and cyberangels.org., and is a past member of the Board of Directors of the New York Intellectual Property Law Association.

Credentials

Education

JD1988

Brooklyn Law School

BSBiology1985

Union College

Admissions

Bars

  • New York
  • Connecticut
  • U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

Courts

  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York

Recognition & Awards

Mr. Levy is or has been listed in New York Super Lawyers , The International Who’s Who of Trademark Lawyers, Who’s Who Legal Patents, Who’s Who Legal Life Sciences: Patent Litigation, Euromoney’s Guide to the World’s Leading Experts in Patent Law, Managing Intellectual Property as an “IP Star,” and The Legal 500 and IAM Patent 1000 – The World’s Leading Patent Professionals.

Publications

Mr. Levy is a frequent speaker and has written numerous articles on the topics of intellectual property, patent, trademark and copyright laws that have appeared in The New York Law Journal and Metropolitan Corporate Counsel. He serves as the co-chair of the Practicing Law Institute’s multi-day Advanced Licensing Program, as well as presenting on license litigation for other PLI programs.  He also authored chapters in Commercial Damages (published by Matthew Bender & Co.) and the Wiley Intellectual Property Law Update (published by Aspen Law & Business). Mr. Levy is also a regular presenter at AIPLA, INTA, NYSBA and NYIPLA events. In addition, he maintains an active roster of speaking engagements on intellectual property audit, portfolio development, strategy and management, and Internet and new media matters. Mr. Levy is also a contributor to the Guide to Biosimilars Litigation and Regulation in the U.S., 2019-2020 ed., published by Thomson Reuters in November 2019