K&L Gates adds ‘top-notch’ entertainment IP partner in LA
The new hire brings trial and appellate litigation and arbitration experience including TV, film, media and entertainment both in the US and globally.
K&L Gates has appointed Ryan Keech as a partner in the firm’s Los Angeles office.
Keech, who moves from Ellis George Cipollone O’Brien Annaguey (EGC), focuses his practice on IP disputes.
He has represented US and international clients in trial and appellate litigation and arbitration in a wide variety of industries, including television production, general media and entertainment, toys and other consumer products, cosmetics, financial services, insurance, social media, and mobile technology.
Keech brings experience handling disputes involving copyright, trademark, trade dress, trade secrets, business torts, complex contract interpretation, unfair competition, false advertising, and Federal Trade Commission claims, as well as with collective bargaining, labour relations, and initial and residual compensation issues in the theatrical film and television industry.
Previously, he was in-house counsel for the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, where he represented studios, broadcast TV networks, and cable and pay TV services in labour negotiations and related matters in the US and Canada.
Bob Barrett, a leader of K&L Gates’ IP practice area, said of Keech’s appointment: “Ryan further deepens our bench of top-notch intellectual property litigators. His in-house and private sector experience with the entertainment industry complements the capabilities and industries of our IP group services in the US and around the globe.”
The new hire was announced in tandem with the appointment of another recruit— Naoki Kawada, who joins as a partner in the firm’s corporate practice.
K&L Gates’ IP practice employs more than 250 lawyers and professionals—including more than 100 registered patent lawyers, agents, and technology specialists with technical or advanced science degrees. It filed more than 4,750 patent applications and 2,350 trademarks worldwide in 2022 via its US, UK, Europe, Asia, and Australia offices.
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