Michelle M. LaVoie

Michelle LaVoie is an associate in the Intellectual Property Practice Group in Sheppard Mullin's Orange County office.

Areas of Practice

Ms. LaVoie works with businesses in international trademark consultation, prosecution, litigation, and domain name disputes as well as in connection with copyright and patent litigation. She also counsels companies in open source licensing requirements, encryption standard compliance, online user agreement standards, and online privacy rights.

Education

• J.D., University of California, Boalt Hall, 2004
• B.S., Northwestern University, 1998, cum laude

Experience

Representing an entrepreneurial beverage company in a successful trademark matter before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Successfully defending an online auction site against liability for third party user conduct.

Obtaining trademark registrations in connection with emerging technologies in the face of objections from the Patent and Trademark Office.

Memberships

• Member, Intellectual Property Division, California State Bar Association
• Member, Orange County Bar Association

Articles

Intellectual Property Law Blog Articles

• "In re Seagate (Fed.Cir. August 20, 2007)(en banc)", August 27, 2007
• "Bill to Prohibit Patents on Nucleic Acid Sequences Presented to U.S. House of Representatives", June 21, 2007
• "Supreme Court Heightens Federal Pleading Standard", May 29, 2007
• "Ninth Circuit Narrows CDA Immunity", May 16, 2007
• "Patent Reform Act of 2007", April 19, 2007
• "Supreme Court Invites Guidance from Solicitor General Regarding Whether to Review 'Reverse Payments' for Settling of Patent Litigation", March 23, 2007
• "Second Circuit Decision Expands Famous Trademark Owners' Rights", March 1, 2007