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Overview
Parna is a partner at Tonkon Torp whose practice is focused on intellectual property, trademark registration and enforcement, and advising and litigating trademark portfolios for local, national, and international companies at all stages of growth. From clearance and prosecution to licensing and enforcement, her clients appreciate her comprehensive approach to protecting their intellectual property assets.
Parna works closely with clients on the development of new brands and lines of business. She has particular expertise in the apparel, footwear, consumer products, food and beverage, cannabis, and education services industries.
When World Trademark Review 1000 named Parna a Leading Trademark Professional, they noted her skill at securing and protecting trademark rights, and educating content teams on their use. She is valued by clients for her personable approach, strong work ethic, and ability to convert legal jargon into business language.
Beyond trademark law, Parna has broad experience in a wide array of intellectual property issues. These include copyright law, right of publicity, trade secret, licensing, false advertising, and intellectual property contracting. She also has particular experience in the use and enforcement of intellectual property online in e-commerce and social media contexts.
Parna is Co-Chair of Tonkon Torp's Information Privacy & Security Practice Group, advising businesses on the management and security of personal data and the laws that regulate the collection, use, and protection of personal data.
Parna works closely with clients on the development of new brands and lines of business. She has particular expertise in the apparel, footwear, consumer products, food and beverage, cannabis, and education services industries.
When World Trademark Review 1000 named Parna a Leading Trademark Professional, they noted her skill at securing and protecting trademark rights, and educating content teams on their use. She is valued by clients for her personable approach, strong work ethic, and ability to convert legal jargon into business language.
Beyond trademark law, Parna has broad experience in a wide array of intellectual property issues. These include copyright law, right of publicity, trade secret, licensing, false advertising, and intellectual property contracting. She also has particular experience in the use and enforcement of intellectual property online in e-commerce and social media contexts.
Parna is Co-Chair of Tonkon Torp's Information Privacy & Security Practice Group, advising businesses on the management and security of personal data and the laws that regulate the collection, use, and protection of personal data.
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Get To Know
The legal field is all about the details. So it may not be too surprising that Tonkon Torp partner Parna Mehrbani loves to lose herself in the intricate stitches found in hand knitting. Parna is self-taught, having taken up crochet and knitting at the age of seven. She holds two teaching certificates from the Craft Yarn Council of America, and has been an instructor since 2007. She currently teaches classes at Portland’s Twisted Yarn Shop. Parna’s favorite part of teaching is encouraging and inspiring confidence in knitters, letting them know that yes, they are doing it right, and no, it doesn't have to be perfect.
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Featured Representative Matters
Licensing and Collaboration Agreements for Pendleton Woolen Mills
Represent Pendleton Woolen Mills, an Oregon-based textile and clothing company, in a broad array of license and collaboration agreements. Collaborators include brands such as Rogue Brewing, Calvin Klein, MLS/Portland Timbers, and Disney.
Trademark Applications
Represent small and large companies in all aspects of application, prosecution, and maintenance of trademark applications in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Pendleton Woolen Mills vs Pendleton Round-Up Association
Lead attorney for Pendleton Woolen Mills in a trademark infringement and unfair competition case before the U.S. District Court in Oregon. The case was settled favorably with a long-term agreement between both parties.
Heart, LLC v. Heart Pizza, LLC et al.
Represented Heart LLC, a Portland coffee roaster, in a trademark infringement and unfair competition suit against nearby restaurant Heart Pizza.
Defend Trademark/Trade Dress Infringement Suit by Footwear Company
Represented various apparel and footwear manufacturers and retailers in lawsuits filed by an international footwear and clothing company alleging a variety of claims related to trademark and trade dress infringement.
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Matters
Regularly represent clients in various industries in administrative litigation cases before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Successfully represented a local apparel and home products company in a TTAB opposition to enforce client’s right to continue using product designs it had used for more than 100 years.
Right of Publicity Suit for Educational Book Publisher
Represented an educational book publisher responding to allegations of violation of publicity rights and copyright infringement. The matter was settled favorably.
Navigate Real Estate Branding and Advertising Issues
Advise and represent a Seattle-based real estate brokerage firm on comprehensive branding and advertising issues.
FLIR Systems Inc. v. Sierra Media, Inc. and Fluke Corp.
Represented defendant manufacturer, distributor, and service provider of electronic test tools and software in a suit involving alleged trademark infringement, false advertising, and defamation. Part of trial team that obtained a favorable jury verdict on trademark infringement and false advertising counterclaims.
Representation in Trademark Infringement, Copyright Infringement, and Breach of Contract Suits
Represented companies in multiple industries including global nutritional products, maternity- and infant-related products, food and beverage, and footwear in suits involving alleged trademark infringement, copyright infringement, and breach of contract. Example cases include:
- Baby Clothes Company v. Grow, Inc. et al.
- Shardan International Marketing, Inc. v. Haband Company, Inc.
- Adidas America, Inc. et al v. Herbalife International, Inc.
- Golden Temple of Oregon, LLC v. Wai Lana Productions, LLC
- L&A Designs LLC et al v. Xtreme ATVs, Inc. et al.
- RE/MAX, LLCV v. TMT Development Co., Inc.
- EGO Originals, Inc. v. Chico's FAS, Inc.
Arbitration for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy
Regularly represent brand owners in Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy arbitration proceedings against cyber squatters, which result in ownership and transfer of domain names to the brand owner.
Timely Settlement for Retail Client in Labeling Trademark Infringement Suit
In Barenbrug USA, Inc. v. Kmart Corporation, represented defendant retailer in a preliminary injunction suit involving labeling and alleged trademark infringement. Assisted in swift settlement before the start of "high season" for product sales.
Meridian Transportation Resources, LLC v. Magic Carrier Resources LLC
Represented Meridian Transportation Resources, a private transportation and tourism company, in a preliminary injunction suit involving trademark and trade dress infringement.
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Featured Work
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Community Involvement & Activities
Partners in Diversity Leadership Council
2020-Present, Chair
2019-2020, Vice Chair
Portland Business Alliance
Board of Directors, Ex-Officio Member
Leadership Portland, Class of 2015
The Oregon Bench and Bar Commission on Professionalism
2018, Chair
2017, Vice Chair
2015-Present, Member
International Trademark Association
2018-Present, Unfair Competition Committee
2016-2017, Internet Committee, New gTLD Registries Issues and Metrics Subcommittee, Member
2014-2016, Enforcement Committee, Trade Names Subcommittee, Chair
2009-2015, Enforcement Committee, Trade Names Subcommittee, Member
Oregon State Bar
Intellectual Property Section
2020, Chair
2019, Vice Chair
2018, Secretary
2017, Treasurer
2013-Present, Executive Committee
Opportunities for Law in Oregon Planning Subcommittee
2007-2013, Member
Mentor Program (3 years)
Computer and Internet Law Section
2008-2010, Executive Committee
Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion
2009, Secretary
2006-2008, Member
Oregon Women Lawyers
Member
2007-2009, Board of Directors, Queen’s Bench – Multnomah County Chapter
Oregon Minority Lawyers Association
Member
2012-Present, Inspiring Minority Attorneys Towards Growth and Excellence “IMAGE” Planning Committee
Rock ‘N’ Roll Camp for Girls
2008-2013, Board of Directors
2009-2013, Chair
Lewis & Clark Law School Mentor Program
2006-2013, Mentor
Business for Culture & the Arts
Art of Leadership Program
Graduate
Oregon State Bar Leadership College
2009, Graduate
Gus J. Solomon Inn of Court
2006-2015, Member
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Professional Memberships
International Trademark Association
Mulnomah Bar Association
Oregon Minority Lawyers Association
Oregon Women Lawyers
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Awards & Recognition
The Best Lawyers in America
2019-2021, Commercial Litigation
2018-2021, Litigation – Intellectual Property
2018-2021, Trademark Law
2018-2021, Litigation – Intellectual Property
2018-2021, Trademark Law
Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers
2016-2020, Intellectual Property
Super Lawyers
2015-2020, Oregon Super Lawyer – Intellectual Property
2009-2014, Oregon Rising Star – Intellectual Property
2009-2014, Oregon Rising Star – Intellectual Property
World Trademark Review 1000
2013–2020, Leading Trademark Professional
Daily Journal of Commerce, Oregon
2019, Woman of Vision
2011–2012, Up & Coming Lawyer
2011–2012, Up & Coming Lawyer
Oregon State Bar
2014, Rising Litigator Award, Litigation Section
2010, Individual Award Winner, Pro Bono Challenge
2006, 2008–2013, 2015–2016, Recognized, Pro Bono Honor Roll
2011, Honoree, Convocation on Equality
2010, Individual Award Winner, Pro Bono Challenge
2006, 2008–2013, 2015–2016, Recognized, Pro Bono Honor Roll
2011, Honoree, Convocation on Equality
Portland Business Journal
2015, Woman of Influence
Benchmark Litigation
2018, 40 & Under Hot List
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Recent News
9.30.2020
Parna Mehrbani Talks Trademarks for NW Cannabis Law Institute
Tonkon Torp partner Parna Mehrbani was a featured panelist during the 2nd Annual Northwest Cannabis Law Institute series hosted by the Oregon State Bar Cannabis Section. The September 15 panel, which featured Parna and two other attorneys, was…
8.20.2020
Best Lawyers in America® Includes 49 Tonkon Torp Attorneys on 2021 List
Forty-nine Tonkon Torp lawyers representing 36 practice areas have been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2021. A majority of attorneys have been named to the peer-review list in past years, and most have been recognized for more…
8.7.2020
Parna Mehrbani Helps Crack the Imposter Syndrome Code for Oregon Women Lawyers
On July 21, Tonkon Torp partner Parna Mehrbani was a panelist for a virtual workshop on Imposter Syndrome hosted by the Oregon Women Lawyers. Many lawyers struggle with Imposter Syndrome, a common psychological pattern that affects high-performers…
8.5.2020
Tonkon Torp Attorneys Speak to Startups at Virtual TiE XL Bootcamp Session
Tonkon Torp attorneys Tyler Harkness, Parna Mehrbani, and Kristin Bremer Moore were instructors at the June virtual sessions of the TIE XL Bootcamp. The Bootcamp provides opportunities for a cohort of entrepreneurs to connect with experts in the…
8.4.2020
Parna Mehrbani Appointed Chair of Partners in Diversity
Tonkon Torp Partner Parna Mehrbani has been appointed Chair of the Partners in Diversity (PID) Leadership Council. Partners in Diversity is a program of the Portland Business Alliance Charitable Institute. Mehrbani, who served as vice chair from 2019…
7.7.2020
26 Tonkon Torp Attorneys Honored on 2020 Super Lawyers Lists
Twenty-six Tonkon Torp attorneys in nine practice areas have been included in the 2020 Oregon Super Lawyers or Rising Stars lists. Tonkon Torp partner and bankruptcy authority Albert N. Kennedy has been once again recognized on the Top 50 list of…
6.17.2020
Parna Mehrbani Moderates Keynote Session at Portland Business Alliance Annual Meeting
During the 2020 Portland Business Alliance annual meeting, held virtually on June 9, Tonkon Torp partner Parna Mehrbani moderated a conversation with keynote speaker John Hassell, the Sr. VP and Editorial Director of Advance Local, one of the largest…
4.27.2020
Chambers USA Names 20 Tonkon Torp Attorneys in 2020 Ranking
Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business has recognized 20 Tonkon Torp attorneys in seven practice areas in its 2020 USA Guide. Eighteen of the Tonkon Torp attorneys named have been previously ranked by Chambers.
3.2.2020
Erickson and Mehrbani Review 2019 Trademark Law for Oregon State Bar
Tonkon Torp partners Chris Erickson and Parna Mehrbani led a review of 2019 trademark law at the annual Intellectual Property Year-in-Review program hosted by the Oregon State Bar Intellectual Property Section. Parna is currently the Chair of the…
2.24.2020
Parna Mehrbani Covers FTC #Compliance for Social Media Advertising and Influencers
Tonkon Torp partner Parna Mehrbani was a featured panelist at a Lewis & Clark Law School “IP Business Series” program on "The Contracts Behind Influencer and Audience Arrangements" hosted by the Intellectual Property Student Organization (IPSO).
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Recent Alerts
4.17.2020
Top 6 Ways To Protect a Cannabis Business Brand
As I previously discussed in my article and podcast published in the Portland Business Journal, U.S. federal trademark law does not currently extend to cannabis products. Because the required “use in commerce” of the cannabis plant and related…
9.6.2019
The Challenging State of Brand Protection in the Cannabis Industry
Trademark law in the U.S. protects “any word, name, symbol, or design, or any combination thereof, used in commerce” to identify one company’s goods or services from another, and to indicate the source of the goods or services. Protection is…
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Publications & Presentations
“Trademark Protection in the Cannabis Industry”, 2nd Annual Northwest Cannabis Law Institute, Oregon State Bar Cannabis Law Section, September 2020
"Legal Considerations for Protecting Your Product/Brand,” Oregon AF, Oregon Entrepreneurs Network, July 2020
Panelist, “Imposter Syndrome,” Oregon Women Lawyers Leadership Committee, July 2020
Moderator, “The State of Media and the Importance of Local Media,” Portland Business Alliance Annual Meeting, June 2020
“Intellectual Property Law for Startups,” TiE XL Oregon Bootcamp, June 2020
"Top 6 Ways To Protect a Cannabis Business Brand," Portland Business Journal, April 2020
"Trademark Law Review Year-in-Review", Oregon State Bar Intellectual Property Section, February 2020
"FTC #Compliance for Social Media Advertising and Influencers," Lewis & Clark Law School, February 2020
Podcast, "How Companies in the Cannabis Industry Should Obtain and Protect Their Trademarks," Portland Business Journal, February 2020
Panelist, "Women Breaking Barriers in the Legal Field," Business Law Week, University of Oregon Law School, January 2020
"California Consumer Privacy Act," Oregon State Bar Business Law Section, December 2019
"Imposter Syndrome," Lewis & Clark Law School, November 2019
“Trademark Protection in the Cannabis Industry,” October 2019
Panelist, “Advancing Women in Leadership,” Oregon State University, October 2019
"Introduction to the California Consumer Privacy Act," September 2019
"The Challenging State of Brand Protection in the Cannabis Industry," Portland Business Journal, September 2019
"California Consumer Privacy Act 2.0," July 2019
"IP for Food Industry Startups," Oregon Entrepreneurs Network, Angel Food Conference & Education Series, May 2019
"Why Should Oregon Companies Care About California’s Privacy Law?" Portland Business Journal, May 2019
Panelist, "Center Stage: Standing Out & Speaking Up," Portland Women in Leadership Symposium, March 2019
"California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018," February 2019, April 2019
"Intellectual Property Law for Startups," TiE Oregon Bootcamp, March 2019
"Copyright in the Craft Industry," Tigard Knitting Guild, February 2019
"Professionalism 2018: What If I’m That Person?" Oregon State Bar Professionalism Commission, November 2018
"Copyright in the Craft Industry," Puddletown Knitting Guild, September 2018
"Intellectual Property Law for Startups," TiE Oregon Bootcamp, October 2018
"Social Media and Websites – IP Pitfalls and Cautionary Tales," September 2018
"Professionalism in Law," Oregon State Bar, May 2018
"Candy Trademarking 101: What You Need to Know About Distinctiveness," Confectionery News, December 2017
"The Slants Play SCOTUS: A Portland Band Defends its Trademark," CLE Lewis & Clark Law School, Portland, Oregon, April 2017
"Fulfilling a Public Trust, The Professional Lawyer," Oregon State Bar, March 2017
"Packaging, Licensing, and Labeling," Lewis & Clark Law School, April 2016
"Why Plant Patenting Floats Free of GMO Crop Controversies," Oregon Business Magazine, November 2014
"Combating Counterfeiting: How Owners Can Protect Their Brands," Oregon Business Magazine, September 2014