Daniel J. Christopherson is an Of Counsel Attorney at Lehrman Beverage Law, PLLC. He joined the firm in 2013 after practicing law for over six years in the areas of business law, patent and trademark law, civil litigation, and beer law. At Lehrman Beverage Law, Daniel assists breweries, distilleries, and wineries with federal, state, and local licensing and compliance, and contract drafting and review.
Daniel has assisted numerous alcohol beverage companies (as well as several restaurants, bars, and food and non-alcoholic beverage companies) at developing and defending their trademark portfolios, both in the United States and internationally. Daniel has experience defending trademark applications and registrations in disputes against third parties, and has appealed USPTO refusals at the USPTO’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Daniel has experience negotiating settlements between parties to resolve trademark disputes, including negotiating a settlement agreement between conflicting claims to marks including the phrase HATFIELD & MCCOY for competing alcoholic beverage products.
Daniel has worked with dozens of breweries throughout Virginia, DC, and Maryland, and works with numerous other alcohol beverage producers and brand owners throughout the country and the world. Daniel helped form the Loudoun County Brewer’s Association and has served in an advisory role for the organization ever since. Since 2017, Daniel is also actively expanding the firm’s practice in Colorado out of the firm’s satellite office located just outside of Denver.
Daniel graduated from the University of Denver, Sturm College of Law in 2007. While there, Daniel focused his studies on intellectual property law. Daniel also interned for the trademark division of the USPTO and the United States Copyright Office. Daniel is barred in Colorado, and Washington, D.C., and is a registered Patent Attorney. Daniel graduated from Michigan State University in 2004, where he studied Philosophy.
Daniel has presented before industry members and legal professionals on legal issues affecting the alcohol beverage industry including trademarks, branding, beer law, distillery law, and wine law, and has been published in trade and legal publications on such topics.
Affiliations:
- DC Bar
- Colorado Bar
- United States Patent & Trademark Office Patent Bar
- Brewers Association, Trade Associate Member
Presentations:
- Next Level Compliance: Legal Growth in a Sea of Red Tape, The American Craft Spirits Association, 2017 ACSA Convention, February 2017.
- Branding Considerations for Spirits Companies in 2016, The American Craft Spirits Association, 2016 ACSA Convention, March 2016.
- The Brewhaha: Working with Craft Breweries for Trademark Brand Protection, and Other Issues, 30th Annual Intellectual Property Law Conference, American Bar Association, March 2015.
- Webinar: Smart Beer Branding in 2015 and Beyond, ShipCompliant, August 2015.
- Brewery and Distillery Law, National Business Institute, October 2015.
- Brewery and Distillery Law, National Business Institute, February 2015.
- Winery and Vineyard Law, National Business Institute, September 2014.
Publications:
- Trademarks in the Golden Age of Craft Beer, Landslide – A Publication of the ABA Section of Intellectual Property Law, Vol 8 No. 2 (November-December 2015).
- International Wine Trademarks: Growing Your Wine Brands Beyond the Border, The Grapevine Magazine (January 2017).
- STOP GETTING SUED: How to Help Avoid Trademark Disputes, Beverage Master Craft Spirits & Brew Magazine (October 2014).
- What Are Trademarks & Why Are They Important, Beverage Master Craft Spirits & Brew Magazine (October 2014).
- DCBrewLaw.com, main author.
