John Dawson - Partner

John is head of the firm’s Intellectual Property practice and a member of the firm’s Wine Group.  His practice is focused in the areas of intellectual property, business transactions, alcoholic beverage law and litigation.

John’s intellectual property experience includes counseling and representing clients in the acquisition, licensing, and protection of intellectual property rights, including advising clients in the selection and enforcement of trademarks and copyrights, drafting and negotiating licensing agreements, prosecuting trademark and copyright applications, and representing parties in proceedings before the USPTO’s Trademark Trial and Appeals Board and in federal court.

John’s alcoholic beverage law practice involves the representation of wineries, vineyards, trade associations, wholesalers, importers, brokers, retailers, and restaurants in connection with mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, contracts, permits, trade practices, business formation, regulatory compliance, and licensing matters. John is also an experienced trial attorney and arbitration and mediation counsel.  John began his legal career as an associate in the New York office of Hogan & Hartson LLP, and later was founder of The Dawson Firm P.C. and a member of Ford Law Firm LLP.  John is also a former member of the New York State Bar Committee on the Commercial Division.

During law school, John was the Editor-in-Chief of the Cardozo JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL AND COMPARATIVE LAW and the Recipient of the Jacob Burns Medal for the Most Outstanding Contribution to a Law Journal.  John is a member of the New York, California, and Connecticut bars, as well as the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, the District of Connecticut, and the Northern District of California.