Attorneys Brian D. Thomas

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shareholder | Manchester, NH

As both an intellectual property attorney and business litigator, Brian helps entrepreneurs and organizations of all sizes establish, protect and enforce their intellectual property in the United States and abroad. Among other things, Brian assists clients with:

  • trademark protection, including selecting, screening, registering and maintaining trademarks;
  • copyright protection, including identification and registration of writings, photographs and other forms of original authorship;
  • enforcing trademark, copyright and patent rights through dispute resolution and, if necessary, litigation;
  • trade secret protection, including drafting, negotiating and enforcing non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements;
  • drafting and negotiating a variety of intellectual property and technology agreements;
  • domain name issues, including selection, acquisition and protection of domain names; and
  • working with foreign counsel to protect clients’ intellectual property rights abroad.

Having practiced with Sheehan Phinney since 2006, Brian also maintains a business litigation practice and formerly served as the firm’s hiring partner.

Representative Matters

  • Manages trademark portfolios for a variety of organizations with domestic and international presences, including an advanced cyber security research and development organization, a soft drink company with a historic brand, a leading online university, a national security solutions provider, an authentic Italian gelato producer, a top manufacturer of die attach and epoxy dispensing systems, and many others
  • Provides counsel on trademark and other intellectual property matters to a leading online university
  • Stopped dozens of instances of online copyright and trademark infringement occurring both domestically and internationally
  • Represented a variety of businesses in intellectual property infringement lawsuits, including a sensor manufacturer and a producer of expansion joints
  • Successfully enforced restrictive covenants against former employees of a technology company
  • Together with shareholder Rob Miller obtained a federal district court judgment of $12,176,735 on RICO claims filed by an investor group against real estate developers, arising out of investment in, construction of, and operation of a hotel

Admissions

  • State of New Hampshire
  • Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  • U.S. District Courts for the District of New Hampshire
  • United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
  • Supreme Court of the United States
  • American Bar Association
  • New Hampshire Bar Association
  • Massachusetts Bar Association
  • Manchester Bar Association

Civic Involvement

  • Past President, Manchester Bar Association
  • Founder and past Secretary, Manchester Moves, Inc., rail trail not-for-profit
  • Graduate of Leadership Greater Manchester
  • Past Member of Leadership Greater Manchester Steering Committee
  • Past Member of New Hampshire Catholic Charities Finance Committee
  • Past Member of State Administrative Board
  • Past Member New Hampshire Bar Association Legislative Committee

Awards

  • Rising Star by New England Super Lawyers®, Business Litigation
  • New Hampshire Union Leader's 40 Under Forty
  • Leadership Greater Manchester graduate
  • Note Editor for the Suffolk Journal of Trial and Appellate Advocacy
  • Member of the Suffolk University Moot Court Honor Board
  • Suffolk Law’s Best Oral Advocate Award
  • Suffolk Law’s Best Oral Advocate Award Suffolk Law’s Best Appellate Brief Award