Andrew Sevanian

Associate

Andrew advises clients on intellectual property matters, including trademark protection and enforcement on a global level.

Andrew Sevanian, Associate, ArentFox Schiff

Andrew is an associate in the trademark and copyright practice group. He focuses on intellectual property transactions as well as brand protection and enforcement, including trademark counseling, clearances, prosecution, registration, maintenance, licensing, oppositions, cancellations, dispute resolution, and other related matters. He has extensive experience in helping clients evaluate and select trademarks, as well as managing trademark portfolios internationally for clients whose brands span multiple industries. Andrew often works closely with clients’ in-house legal and marketing teams on how to select and protect trademarks. He works closely with local counsel when it comes to protecting and enforcing clients’ brands on a global level. He has worked with clients in many different industries, including media and entertainment, sports, gaming, fashion, hospitality, automotive, health and wellness, food and beverage, financial services, and technology.

Andrew’s legal experience also includes being head of development and intellectual property for an entertainment media company where he was responsible for counseling on various intellectual property matters, including the acquisition and/or licensing of IP rights as well as trademark protection, prosecution, and enforcement. During law school, Andrew served as a summer judicial extern for the Honorable Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye at the California Supreme Court.

Andrew’s work and interest in the entertainment industry has been long-running. Prior to becoming an attorney, he held positions in creative development and worldwide marketing at two major Hollywood studios. This experience provided Andrew with a unique insight into the world of developing and branding content in the global entertainment space, which he brings to his legal work in entertainment and intellectual property.

Client Work

Andrew’s representative matters include the following:

  • Assisting with multijurisdictional trademark oppositions involving a prominent multimedia company.
  • Developing and implementing strategies for multijurisdictional trademark enforcement, including oppositions and cancellations, for a prominent company in the health and wellness space.
  • Advising clients on potential trademark enforcement actions to be undertaken.
  • Performing trademark searches, preparing opinion memos and counseling clients on crafting new trademark applications.
  • Helping clients overcome obstacles to registrations including assessing and responding to complex Office Actions issued by the USPTO and Trademark Offices in other jurisdictions.

Publications, Presentations & Recognitions

Publications

  • “An Artistic Defense to Claims of Trademark Infringement: Examining the Lawsuit Over Netflix’s Use of ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ Phrase in the Interactive Film Black Mirror: Bandersnatch,” California Lawyers Association, Business Law News, Issue IV (2019) 
  • “Data Breach Notification Law Might Be Expanding,” Santa Clarita Valley Business Journal, Vol. XI, No. IV (2019)
  • “‘FTB/SOS Suspended’ – What Does That Mean?,” The Signal (2018)
  • “Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act: A ‘Good Samaritan’ Law Without the Requirement of Acting as a ‘Good Samaritan’,” UCLA Entertainment Law Review (2014)

Presentations

  • Guest lecturer, USC Marshall School of Business, Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Los Angeles, California (2015-present)

Recognitions

  • 40 Under Forty Honoree, Junior Chamber International (2017)
  • Roscoe Pound Winner: First Place, UCLA School of Law Moot Court Competition (2013)
  • First Place, Hofstra University School of Law Moot Court Competition (2011)

Life Beyond the Law

Outside of work, Andrew enjoys spending time with his family, exercising, creative writing, reading, watching movies, and traveling.

  • Bar & Court Admissions
    • California Bar
  • Education
    Hofstra University School of Law, JD, 2013
    University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law, Visiting Law Student, 2013
    University of Southern California, BA, 2006

Perspectives