Colin T.J. O’Brien
Partner312.256.2107 cobrien@llflegal.com- Biography
- Credentials
- Experience
Co-chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Group, Partner Colin T.J. O’Brien has an inherent appreciation of the value and importance of his clients’ intangible assets like patents, trademarks, data, and copyrights. That recognition, combined with his extensive and diverse experience, has made him an invaluable ally and advocate for entrepreneurs and businesses who want to develop, protect, and monetize their intellectual property portfolios.
The World Intellectual Property Organization has selected Colin to be a Domain Name Panelist based on his well-established reputation for impartiality, sound judgment, and decision-making experience, as well as his substantive background in the areas of international trademark law, electronic commerce, and internet-related issues. He is one of only 400 attorneys in the world on this prestigious panel.
Colin has also been designated as a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US) by the International Association of Policy Professionals. The CIPP/US designation certifies that an individual has mastered a core foundational understanding of U.S. data privacy laws and regulations. It also reflects that the designee has comprehensive knowledge of how those laws and regulations intersect with the technical and practical principles of data collection, retention, protection, and use practices. The CIPP/US designation allows Colin to both assist clients in shielding themselves against malicious actors and help them establish policies and protocols to stay in compliance with a complex web of federal and state laws, such as the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).
Colin has significant litigation experience pursuing and defending design patent infringement cases as well as actions under the Lanham Act, Copyright Act, Anti-Cybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, and Computer Fraud and Abuse Act on behalf of clients throughout the United States.
Colin’s work advancing and protecting his clients’ intellectual property interests extends far beyond this country’s borders, befitting someone who grew up in a family that emphasized the importance of global interconnectedness. Colin’s international practice includes numerous victories for clients through UDRP and URS actions with the World Intellectual Property Organization, and he works with attorneys throughout the world to ensure clients’ rights are protected overseas.
Also handling traditional transactional matters involving trademarks and copyrights, Colin assists clients with trademark clearance reviews and investigations, drafting international and domestic clearance opinion letters, reviewing FDA regulations to ensure client compliance, prosecution, and maintenance of domestic and foreign trademarks, and drafting office action responses.
In addition to serving his clients’ individual needs, Colin also actively protects their intellectual property rights on the public policy level through his involvement with the International Trademark Association (“INTA”). He is currently a member of INTA’s Data Protection Committee after previously serving on its Internet Committee (term-limited). Colin is also a member of the Intellectual Property Constituency of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers and the Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago
Education
- Loyola University, College of Law, J.D., 2004
- University of Maryland, B.A., 1995
Admissions
- Illinois, 2004
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, 2010
Professional Affiliations
- International Trademark Association
- American Intellectual Property Law Association
- Intellectual Property Constituency of ICANN
- Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago
Experience
Federal Litigation Experience
Alliance Risk Group Inc. v. Alliance Background, LLC
Trademark and Unfair Competition Litigation
U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York
Case No. 1:22-cv-1105
CB Aviation, Inc. v. Sky Share USA, LLC
Trademark Litigation
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
Case No. 0:23-cv-60639-DPG
At World Properties, LLC et al v. @Homerealty, LLC et a
Trademark and Unfair Competition Litigation
U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan
Case No. 1:22-cv-00236
Uberlube, Inc. v. Intercontinental Holdings LLC
Trademark Litigation
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
Case No. 22-cv-5858
Bon Appetit Danish, Inc. v. 2168587 Ontario Ltd.
Trademark Infringement, Unfair Competition
Central District of California, Case No.2:18-cv-10617
Animex Foods Sp. Z. O.O. v. Belmont Sausage Company
Trademark Infringement
Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division Case No. 18-cv-06572
Canon Inc. v. Garvey's Office Products, Inc. U.S.
Patent Infringement
Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division Case 1:18-cv-01497
Canon Inc. v. Arlington Industries, Inc.
Patent Infringement
Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division Case 1:18-cv-01496
Brown v. Dart Northern District of Illinois
Civil Rights
Eastern Case 1:14-cv-03032 Pro Bono
ALS Scan v. Steadfast Networks, LLC
Copyright Infringement
U.S. District Court, Central District of California Case No.: 2:16-cv-05051-
Bon Appetit Danish, Inc. v. Le Petit Belge, LLC
Trademark Infringement
U.S. District Court, Central District of California Case 2:17-cv-03710-ODW-SK
Seide et al v. Level-(1) Global Solutions, LLC, Steadfast Networks LLC et al
Copyright Infringement
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division Case 1:16-cv-02975
Intelligent Medical Objects, Inc. v. Face Recording and Measurement Systems, Ltd.
Trademark Infringement
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division Case 1:15-cv-07067
Bon Appetit Danish, Inc. v. Schwans IP, LLC
Trademark Infringement
U.S. District Court, Central District of California Case 2:15-cv-07227-PA-GJS
American Home Shield Corporation v. American Shield Insurance Company et al
Trademark Infringement
U.S. District Court Western District of Tennessee, Western Division, Case 2:15-cv-02544-JTF-dkv
American Travel Solutions, LLC v. Fareportal, Inc
Trademark Infringement, Anti-cybersquatting Protection Act
U.S. District Court, Central District of California Case 2:14-cv-01909-CBM-AJW
Virtual Point, Inc. v. MasterCard International
Trademark Infringement
U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington at Seattle, Case No. 2:10-cv-00370-RAJ
Disney Enterprises Inc., et al v. Chicago Moonwalks, et al
Copyright Infringement
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, Case No. 1:10-cv-05405
Thoughtworks, Inc. v. Adarsh, et al
Trademark Infringement, Anti-cybersquatting Protection Act
U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria Division, Case No. 1:10-CV-1033
Justin Bouchard v. Rosenthal Collins Group, LLC, et al
Copyright Infringement
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, Case No.: 11-cv-02705
James G. Hugunin, et al, v. Land O’Lakes, Inc.
Trademark Infringement, Trademark Dilution
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, Case No. 1:11-cv-9098.
Mirza N. Baig & Blue Springs Water v. The Coca Cola Co.
Trademark Infringement
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, Case No. 08-cv-04206
SLP Performance Parts, Inc. v. Suncoast Automotive Performance, Inc.
Design Patent Infringement
U. S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, Case No. 3:11-cv-03460-MLC-DEA
Navistar, Inc. & Intl. Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC, v Liberty Equipment Repair, Inc.
Copyright Infringement, Computer Abuse and Fraud Act
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, Case No. 3:11-CV-599
Navistar, Inc. & Intl. Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC, v. New Baltimore Garage, Inc.
Copyright Infringement, Computer Abuse and Fraud Act
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, Case No. 1:11-cv-06269
W.M. Barr and Company, Inc. v. Sunnyside Corporation
Unfair Competition & False Advertising
U.S. District Court Western District of Tennessee, Western Division, Case No. 2:11-CV-02674
National Association of Realtors, Inc. v. John Fothergill, et al
Trademark Infringement, Anti-cybersquatting Protection Act
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, Case No. 1:11-cv-08013
ThoughtWorks, Inc. v Infor, Inc.
Trademark Infringement
U. S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, Case No. Case No. 1:13-cv-02331
Steiner Industries v. Steiner Electric Co.
Trademark Infringement
U. S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, Case No. 13-cv-4227
International Star Registry of Illinois, Ltd. v. Gerke Houwer d/b/a/ Online Star Register
Trademark Infringement
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, Civil Action No. 1:11-cv-05151
Hound and Gatos Pet Foods Corp. v. Evanger’s Dog and Cat Food Co., Inc., et al
U. S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, Case No. 13-cv-5550
Navistar, Inc. and International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC v. Hearst Corporation, et al
Copyright Infringement
U. S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, Case No. 1:13-cv-7333
Shye Worldwide, LLC and LHS International LLC v. AXIZ Group LLC and Orbit Industries
Trademark Infringement
U. S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, Case No. 13-cv-3031
Waters Industries, Inc. v. NTA Enterprises, Inc.
Trademark Infringement
U. S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, Case No. 13-cv—7192
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Experience
Frontier Communications v. WiFi Alliance
Opposition No. 91241005 (2018)
Unsalted No Sharks LLC v. Robert Montalvo
Opposition No. 92069442 (2018)
Aiwa Corporation v. Mariano Uria Romero
Opposition No. 91241835 (2018)
Mindful Cloth + Press v. Design Solutions, LLC
Cancellation No. 92067613 (2017)
Bon Appetit Danish, Inc. v. 2168587 Ontario Ltd.
Cancellation No. 92067364 (2017)
Secureaview LLC v. Garret M. Warr and Lauren I. Warr
Opposition No. 91236310 (2017)
SQZ Bevs LLC v. J & M BevCo, LLC
Opposition No. 91226235 (2016)
Intelligent Medical Objects, Inc. v. Face Recording and Measurement Systems Ltd
Opposition No. 92062036 (2015)
MasterCard International Incorporated v. Nxtbigthing, LLC
Opposition No. 91216494 (2014)
ThoughtWorks, Inc. v. Infor, Inc.
Opposition No. 91215915 (2014)
Sandstorm Design, Inc. v. Niksun, Inc.
Cancellation No. 92057204 (2013)
Sandstorm Design, Inc. v. Andrew Mace
Opposition No. 91203666 (2012)