At Coates IP, we strive to protect our client's creations through innovative, practical, and accurate advice. With a successful track record of working with and for the most valuable brands in the world, both as in house and outside counsel, we are uniquely positioned to provide the results you deserve.
Coates IP is a boutique law firm with a strong focus on intellectual property, domain names, marketing, and launching new products and services with an international perspective, including the following legal practices:
Coates IP has worked with clients both large and small, multinational and local, across a wide variety of industries, including technology, social media, retail, entertainment, consumer products, manufacturing, hospitality, food, transport, pharmaceutical, and advertising.
Coates IP is a boutique law firm with a strong focus on intellectual property, domain names, marketing, and launching new products and services with an international perspective, including the following legal practices:
- Trademarks, Brand Protection, Anti-counterfeiting, Parallel Imports, Litigation
- Domain Names, Domain Disputes, Domain Acquisitions, Security and DNS Risk Analysis
- Copyright, Entertainment, Trade Dress
- Trade Secret, Unfair Competition
- Marketing, Social Media, Advertising, Media
Coates IP has worked with clients both large and small, multinational and local, across a wide variety of industries, including technology, social media, retail, entertainment, consumer products, manufacturing, hospitality, food, transport, pharmaceutical, and advertising.
Stephen Jadie Coates
Photo by Roger Wollenberg
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Steve founded Coates IP to offer his 2+ decades of experience working at the most prestigious law firm practices and technology companies.
Steve strives to educate his clients with expert legal advice, with a strong emphasis on providing practical perspective built upon working years in house. He is an expert on areas surrounding trademarks, copyright, domain names, unfair competition, marketing, technology products, and litigation surrounding these topics. At Amazon.com, Steve and his team managed trademarks for a diverse array of industries, as well as the company's domain portfolio, including some of the most trafficked domains. As Twitter's first intellectual property counsel, he managed the trademark, marketing, domain and Internet governance practices, building a team from the ground up. He has also worked at the most prestigious intellectual property law practices, including Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP, and Fross Zelnick Lehrman & Zissu, P.C. Steve is an influential legal voice, speaking frequently at conferences, and has actively participated on legal and policy organizations for many years, currently including:
Steve used to sit on the ICANN Business Constituency, has been active on many working groups, and participated on the ICANN Nominating Committee for the Board of Directors. In his spare time, Steve is passionate about parenting, music, hiking, and old comic books. |
Education
Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, New York, NY, J.D. 2006
Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY, B.A. Art History 1997
Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY, B.A. Art History 1997
Bar Admissions
New York State
Washington State
Washington State
Active Professional Associations
ICANN Intellectual Property Constituency
International Trademark Association
NYU Engelberg Center for Innovation Law & Policy
Washington State Bar Association
International Trademark Association
NYU Engelberg Center for Innovation Law & Policy
Washington State Bar Association
Leadership Positions
Current:
International Trademark Association, Anti-Counterfeiting Committee Member (2018-2019)
International Trademark Association, Internet Committee (2020-2021)
NYU Engelbert Center for Innovation Law & Policy, Advisory Board Member
Editorial Board, World Intellectual Property Review
Past:
International Trademark Association, Chair of the gTLD Subsequent Procedures Committee
International Trademark Association, Committee Member (various) 2007-present
ICANN Nominating Committee for the Board of Directors
Intellectual Property Platform Networking Group, Founder
International Trademark Association, Anti-Counterfeiting Committee Member (2018-2019)
International Trademark Association, Internet Committee (2020-2021)
NYU Engelbert Center for Innovation Law & Policy, Advisory Board Member
Editorial Board, World Intellectual Property Review
Past:
International Trademark Association, Chair of the gTLD Subsequent Procedures Committee
International Trademark Association, Committee Member (various) 2007-present
ICANN Nominating Committee for the Board of Directors
Intellectual Property Platform Networking Group, Founder
Awards
2021 World Trademark Review 1000 - World's Leading Trademark Professionals
2019 World Trademark Review 300 - World’s Leading Corporate Trademark Professionals
2018 World Trademark Review 300 - World’s Leading Corporate Trademark Professionals
2017 World Trademark Review Awards - North American Trademark Team of the Year
2017 Managing IP - Corporate IP Star
2017 World Trademark Review 300 - World's Leading Corporate Trademark Professionals
2016 World Trademark Review - Finalist for In House Counsel of the Year
2016 Managing IP, Corporate IP Star
2015 World Trademark Review – Software and Online Services Team of the Year
2015 Managing IP, Corporate IP Star
2012 World Trademark Review – Internet and Online Services Team of the Year
2011 Super Lawyers Rising Star
2019 World Trademark Review 300 - World’s Leading Corporate Trademark Professionals
2018 World Trademark Review 300 - World’s Leading Corporate Trademark Professionals
2017 World Trademark Review Awards - North American Trademark Team of the Year
2017 Managing IP - Corporate IP Star
2017 World Trademark Review 300 - World's Leading Corporate Trademark Professionals
2016 World Trademark Review - Finalist for In House Counsel of the Year
2016 Managing IP, Corporate IP Star
2015 World Trademark Review – Software and Online Services Team of the Year
2015 Managing IP, Corporate IP Star
2012 World Trademark Review – Internet and Online Services Team of the Year
2011 Super Lawyers Rising Star
Speaking Engagements
What's New in the Trademark Law Landscape: Regulatory Trends and Challenges Explored, Knowledge Group Webinar, October 2020
Brand Protection at a Time of Hyper-Criticism, World Trademark Review Webinar, September 2020
How Covid-19 is Changing Domain Strategies, World Trademark Review Webinar, May 2020
Hashtag Trademarks: Legal and Practical Implications by Use by Brand Owners or Third Parties, Strafford Webinars, March 2020
Hot Trademark, Copyright and Advertising Issues, ABA Entertainment and Sports Forum, Las Vegas, NV, November 2019
Working at Internet Speed: Perspectives from Amazon's Former Senior Trademark Counsel, 2019 Midwest IP Institute, Minneapolis, MN, September 2019
The Year in Trademark Law: Noteworthy Decisions and Their Impact on Your Practice, 2019 Midwest IP Institute, Minneapolis, MN, September 2019
IP Fundamentals for Artists: Guidance for Pro Bono Advice, Washington State Bar Association, Seattle Art Museum, August 2019
Combating Counterfeits and Piracy on the Internet Highway and in Digital Media, INTA Annual Meeting, Boston, MA, May 2019
Proving the Creative Contribution, NYU Engelbert Center on Innovation Law & Policy, New York, NY, May 2019
Domain Name Best Practices, MarkMonitor Symposium, London, UK, May 2019
Domain Management Strategies for an Effective Brand Protection Program, MarkMonitor Symposium, New York City, NY, May 2019
ABA-IPL Annual Meeting - Anti-Counterfeiting in Social Media, April 2019
Rocky Mountain IP Institute: Disparaging, Immoral & Scandalous Trademarks, May 2018
INTA Brands & Innovation - How Innovation is Changing the Retail Landscape, March 2018
Kilpatrick Townsend 2018 Advanced Trademark Law Seminar - I Was Told Math Was Not Involved - Surveys & Brand Tracking Studies, January 2018
INTA In House Idea Exchange: Managing Your Outside Counsel, May 2017
Trademark Disparagement and the First Amendment, McCarthy Institute Trademark Symposium, Seattle, WA, February 2017
Beyond Native Advertising, INTA Annual Meeting, Orlando, May 2016
(App)ealing to a Wired Audience: Trademarks and Mobile Advertising, INTA Leadership Meeting, Panama City, Panama, November 2015
The Social Network: Current Legal Issues in Social Media, Association for Corporate Counsel, Los Angeles, November 2015
Trademarks and New gTLDs: An International Policy Perspective, McCarthy Institute Trademark Law Symposium, San Francisco, September 2015
Is Fair Use Always Fair? International approaches to fair use issues in a mobile world, INTA Annual Meeting, San Diego, May 2015
How New Technologies are Changing Lanham Act & Copyright Act Analyses, USC Intellectual Property Institute, Los Angeles, March 2015
Schemers, Scammers and Swindlers, INTA Leadership Meeting, Phoenix, November 2014
Issues in Social Media, INTA: Internet, Innovation & ICANN, San Francisco, September 2014
Hashtags: Fair Use or Infringement? A Global Perspective, IP Bytes: Hot Topics in Trademark Law, Bar Association of
San Francisco, San Francisco, July 2014
Connecting the Dots: Global Brand Insights for Surviving and Thriving in a New gTLD World, CSC Digital Brand Forum, April 2014
Strategies for Managing Domain Name Disputes and Litigation, IQPC Trademark Litigation Summit, San Francisco, April 2014
The Ethics of Trademark Bullying, INTA Annual Meeting, Dallas, May 2013
Best Practices in Trademark Selection, Association for Corporate Counsel, Anaheim, April 2013
Trademark Law and Social Media, Cardozo Law School, New York, March 2011
Brand Protection at a Time of Hyper-Criticism, World Trademark Review Webinar, September 2020
How Covid-19 is Changing Domain Strategies, World Trademark Review Webinar, May 2020
Hashtag Trademarks: Legal and Practical Implications by Use by Brand Owners or Third Parties, Strafford Webinars, March 2020
Hot Trademark, Copyright and Advertising Issues, ABA Entertainment and Sports Forum, Las Vegas, NV, November 2019
Working at Internet Speed: Perspectives from Amazon's Former Senior Trademark Counsel, 2019 Midwest IP Institute, Minneapolis, MN, September 2019
The Year in Trademark Law: Noteworthy Decisions and Their Impact on Your Practice, 2019 Midwest IP Institute, Minneapolis, MN, September 2019
IP Fundamentals for Artists: Guidance for Pro Bono Advice, Washington State Bar Association, Seattle Art Museum, August 2019
Combating Counterfeits and Piracy on the Internet Highway and in Digital Media, INTA Annual Meeting, Boston, MA, May 2019
Proving the Creative Contribution, NYU Engelbert Center on Innovation Law & Policy, New York, NY, May 2019
Domain Name Best Practices, MarkMonitor Symposium, London, UK, May 2019
Domain Management Strategies for an Effective Brand Protection Program, MarkMonitor Symposium, New York City, NY, May 2019
ABA-IPL Annual Meeting - Anti-Counterfeiting in Social Media, April 2019
Rocky Mountain IP Institute: Disparaging, Immoral & Scandalous Trademarks, May 2018
INTA Brands & Innovation - How Innovation is Changing the Retail Landscape, March 2018
Kilpatrick Townsend 2018 Advanced Trademark Law Seminar - I Was Told Math Was Not Involved - Surveys & Brand Tracking Studies, January 2018
INTA In House Idea Exchange: Managing Your Outside Counsel, May 2017
Trademark Disparagement and the First Amendment, McCarthy Institute Trademark Symposium, Seattle, WA, February 2017
Beyond Native Advertising, INTA Annual Meeting, Orlando, May 2016
(App)ealing to a Wired Audience: Trademarks and Mobile Advertising, INTA Leadership Meeting, Panama City, Panama, November 2015
The Social Network: Current Legal Issues in Social Media, Association for Corporate Counsel, Los Angeles, November 2015
Trademarks and New gTLDs: An International Policy Perspective, McCarthy Institute Trademark Law Symposium, San Francisco, September 2015
Is Fair Use Always Fair? International approaches to fair use issues in a mobile world, INTA Annual Meeting, San Diego, May 2015
How New Technologies are Changing Lanham Act & Copyright Act Analyses, USC Intellectual Property Institute, Los Angeles, March 2015
Schemers, Scammers and Swindlers, INTA Leadership Meeting, Phoenix, November 2014
Issues in Social Media, INTA: Internet, Innovation & ICANN, San Francisco, September 2014
Hashtags: Fair Use or Infringement? A Global Perspective, IP Bytes: Hot Topics in Trademark Law, Bar Association of
San Francisco, San Francisco, July 2014
Connecting the Dots: Global Brand Insights for Surviving and Thriving in a New gTLD World, CSC Digital Brand Forum, April 2014
Strategies for Managing Domain Name Disputes and Litigation, IQPC Trademark Litigation Summit, San Francisco, April 2014
The Ethics of Trademark Bullying, INTA Annual Meeting, Dallas, May 2013
Best Practices in Trademark Selection, Association for Corporate Counsel, Anaheim, April 2013
Trademark Law and Social Media, Cardozo Law School, New York, March 2011
Select Articles and Media
Why a pandemic is the perfect time to open a new law firm. Managing IP. November 19, 2020. See here.
"PR risk is now part of the IP job" - the developing role of trademark practitioners in an age of hyper-criticism.
World Trademark Review. September 29, 2020. See here.
"Darlie", "Aunt" and "Uncle": When brands should be retired. Managing IP. June 24, 2020. See here.
Comment: Dropping of PepsiCo's Aunt Jemima is long overdue. World Intellectual Property Review. June 19, 2020. See here.
Why continued community engagement is critical alongside PepsiCo's removal of Aunt Jemima brand. World Trademark Review. June 19, 2020. See here.
Cost-Cutting: How client relationships can survive the COVID crunch. World Trademark Review. May 21, 2020. See here.
Fleet Feet's court victory against Nike highlight changes in using and protecting slogan marks. World Trademark Review. December 6, 2019. See here.
The Rise of Competitive Advertising: Risk and Opportunity in Domain Names Using Competitor's Marks. World Trademark Review. October 24, 2019. See here.
Rethinking Law Firm Operations: Stephen Coates on why he left Amazon to build an IP boutique. World Trademark Review. September 11, 2019. See here.
Ex-Trademark Law Guru at Amazon Launches IP Boutique. Law.com. August 22, 2019. See here.
Ex-Amazon Counsel Established Boutique IP Firm. World Intellectual Property Review. August 21, 2019. See here.
Meet Twitter's First Trademark Counsel. Managing Intellectual Property. May 5, 2015. See here.
Twitter, Fair Use, and a "Socialised Logo". World Intellectual Property Review. May 4, 2015. See here.
Twitter's Stephen Coates. Law.com. September 8, 2014. See here.
"PR risk is now part of the IP job" - the developing role of trademark practitioners in an age of hyper-criticism.
World Trademark Review. September 29, 2020. See here.
"Darlie", "Aunt" and "Uncle": When brands should be retired. Managing IP. June 24, 2020. See here.
Comment: Dropping of PepsiCo's Aunt Jemima is long overdue. World Intellectual Property Review. June 19, 2020. See here.
Why continued community engagement is critical alongside PepsiCo's removal of Aunt Jemima brand. World Trademark Review. June 19, 2020. See here.
Cost-Cutting: How client relationships can survive the COVID crunch. World Trademark Review. May 21, 2020. See here.
Fleet Feet's court victory against Nike highlight changes in using and protecting slogan marks. World Trademark Review. December 6, 2019. See here.
The Rise of Competitive Advertising: Risk and Opportunity in Domain Names Using Competitor's Marks. World Trademark Review. October 24, 2019. See here.
Rethinking Law Firm Operations: Stephen Coates on why he left Amazon to build an IP boutique. World Trademark Review. September 11, 2019. See here.
Ex-Trademark Law Guru at Amazon Launches IP Boutique. Law.com. August 22, 2019. See here.
Ex-Amazon Counsel Established Boutique IP Firm. World Intellectual Property Review. August 21, 2019. See here.
Meet Twitter's First Trademark Counsel. Managing Intellectual Property. May 5, 2015. See here.
Twitter, Fair Use, and a "Socialised Logo". World Intellectual Property Review. May 4, 2015. See here.
Twitter's Stephen Coates. Law.com. September 8, 2014. See here.
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