KATHRYN KENT, ESQ.

SENIOR LITITGATION COUNSEL

Prior to coming to Gerben Perrott, Kathryn was a founding partner at boutique law firm where she devoted a significant part of her practice to federal and state litigation in the areas of trademark and copyright infringement, as well as, unfair competition, false advertising, and related business law litigation. In addition, Kathryn has successfully handled opposition and cancellation proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.

Kathryn began working on regulatory compliance, unfair competition, and advertising claims while interning with Vermont’s Attorney General’s Consumer Protection and Anti-Trust division and the Vermont Legislature. Today, she offers clients her significant experience in identifying and addressing the full range of intellectual property issues encountered by businesses of all sizes, as well as, the business and regulatory challenges encountered in complicated industries such as the lawful cannabis industry.

Kathryn is an elected Fellow of the American Bar Association which is an honor reserved for 1 percent of the lawyers in a given state. She has been recognized for her leadership in the American Bar Association, the ABA-IPL Section, and her accomplishments in the legal field.

Notable Cases:

Family Footwear Center, Inc. vs Canadian Footwear Ltd. Case No. 5:21-cv-00023

• Filed Declaratory Judgment Complaint in response to opposing party’s claims of trademark infringement and unfair competition. Resolved case favorably on behalf of the client.

Centrella et al v. RitzCraft Corporation of Pennsylvania Case 2:14-cv-0011

• Obtained a successful jury verdict resulting in recovery of client’s damages and a recovery of attorney’s fees in a case arising from misleading and deceptive representations in advertising. After prevailing on motions for reconsideration and all post-trial motions, this case was appealed to the Second Circuit where the client’s jury verdict was upheld.

RWZ MacDonald et al v. WGBH Educational Case 1:18-cv-10773

• Retained by outside counsel representing television celebrity to appear in case as trademark counsel. Responsible for presenting oral arguments before federal magistrate during court mandated mediation hearings. Provided written arguments and trademark counsel to litigation team and client. Case settled favorably for client.

Hard cider company vs coffee roasters

• Represented defendant/gourmet coffee roaster based in Vermont against a national alcoholic beverage company alleging trademark infringement. Case settled favorably for defendant during court mandated mediation.

National beverage distributor vs regional coffee company

• Defended regional coffee company against claims of trademark infringement against national beverage distributor. Case settled favorable for defendant during pre-trial mediation after demonstrating plaintiff was relying on trademark rights acquired by an invalid assignment (assignment in gross).

Speaking Engagements:

• CLE Presentation: Trademark, Copyright, and Patent Law Fundamentals. Hilton, Burlington Vermont. (2012)
• Copyright Panelist/VBA Intellectual Property Law Conference. Topic: International Distinctions in Select Areas of Copyright Law. (2013)
• Trademark Panelist, ABA-IPL West Coast Annual Meeting. Topic: Recent Trademark Cases (Use and Federalism Issues). (2017)

Recognitions:

• Outstanding Leadership Contribution, American Bar Association Section of IP Law
  Fellow of the American Bar Association

Professional Contributions:

• Vice Chair of ABA-IPL Trademark Legislation Committee Sep 2019 – Aug 2021
• Chair of the ABA-IPL Trademark Litigation Committee, Sep 2017 – Aug 2019
• Chair of USPTO Operations Relating to Trademarks & Ex Parte Trademark Practice Committee, Sep 2014 – Aug 2016
• Chair Trademark State Legislation Sub-Committee, Sep 2011 – Aug 2015

Education

Bar Memberships