Geoffrey D. Aurini (Geoff)
Principal / Detroit Metro Office
Geoff’s practice focuses on trademark clearance and prosecution; opposition and cancellation proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board; drafting intellectual property agreements; and counseling clients in the enforcement of various IP rights on a global scale. Geoff’s clients range from domestic start-ups to international Fortune 500 corporations, and include Panasonic Corporation and DENSO Corporation, among others.
Geoff worked as a legislative assistant for a member of Canada’s Parliament, and served as a Trademark Examining Attorney for the United States Patent and Trademark Office. His background also includes several years serving as in-house Trademark Counsel for Kellogg Company.
Practice Areas
In the News
Practice Areas
- “Revising Trademark Protection and Litigation Strategies in a Changing Marketplace,” Inside the Minds: Recent Trends in Trademark Protection, 2012 Edition
- “Evaluating and Addressing the Complexities of Various Intellectual Property Cases,” Co-authored by Geoffrey Aurini and Bryan Wheelock, Inside the Minds: Litigation Strategies for Intellectual Property Cases, 2015 Edition
A skilled communicator, Geoff is highly adept at understanding each client’s objectives and concerns, and is able to anticipate potential legal roadblocks. Having worked at the USPTO, Geoff knows from personal experience how the trademark registration and opposition/cancellation processes work. As a result, Geoff effectively plans for or averts potential problems before they become significant obstacles. Geoff’s innate ability to identify and mitigate possible issues or negative outcomes during and beyond the examination process has served his clients well, often saving them both time and resources.
An integral part of each client’s team, Geoff’s analytical skills and creativity are supported by his outstanding and effective writing skills, honed after years of legislative and legal practice. Geoff’s ability to manage a multitude of matters simultaneously, all while keeping his clients informed and involved in the decision-making process, is highly regarded. Geoff is dedicated to the specific needs of his clients — making each client’s goal, his objective.
Geoff also serves as an Adjunct Professor for Western Michigan University, Cooley Law School where he teaches an LL.M. course on Trademark Office Practice.
Awards & Distinctions
- Best Lawyers, Trademark Law, 2017-2022
- Catholic University Law Review
Education
J.D., magna cum laude, Catholic University, 1996
M.A., Regent University, 1990
B.A., Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs, Miami University, 1988
Bar & Court Admissions
Colorado
Michigan
Virginia
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
U.S. Supreme Court
Eastern District of Michigan
