Stephen J. Strauss is a Partner and Co-Chair of the Firm's Entertainment Industry Group. For over 30 years, Mr. Strauss has specialized in domestic and international trademark, copyright, and unfair competition matters, including licensing, Internet domain name disputes, and litigation. He has prosecuted over two thousand U.S. and foreign trademark and service mark applications, and won over 60 UDRP decisions. Mr. Strauss also provides various legal production services for documentary and narrative films and scripted and unscripted television projects (including development, rights acquisition, rights and title clearances, and IP protection and enforcement).

Mr. Strauss represents a number of internationally recognized celebrities, sports personalities, recording artists, chefs, authors, social media influencers, and media and entertainment companies. He also represents a wide range of diverse clients in the fields of cosmetics and fragrances, motion picture and television production, comic book publishing, restaurants, alcoholic beverages and wines, vegetable and fruit production, vitamins and nutritional supplements, financial and real estate services, medical services, energy, computer software and artificial intelligence, clothing, toys, digital collectibles and tokens, and labor unions.

Notable Projects

Lights (Independent Film - 2026)

Charmaine's Kitchen (Reality/Lifestyle TV Pilot - 2024)

American Cats: The Good, The Bad & The Cuddly (Documentary Film - 2024)

Claim to Fame (Reality Competition TV - 2022)

Cooking with Curtis (Reality TV - 2022)

Lookalike Love (Reality TV - 2021)

Rock Camp: The Movie (Documentary Film - 2021)

Making Apes: The Artists Who Changed Film (Documentary Film - 2019)

Amazing Grace (Documentary Film - 2019)

Cinenegotiations Blog

Lost in America

True Grit

Scrooged

Nightcrawler

Lincoln

Jaws

1776

Norma Rae

The Bride of Frankenstein

A Night at the Opera

Beetlejuice

Air

The Thomas Crown Affair

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Bar Admissions
California

U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California

United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

United States Court of Appeals Ninth Circuit

United States Court of Appeals Federal Circuit

Education
Southwestern Law School, J.D.

American University, B.A., Political Science

American University, M.A. in Political Science

Significant Accomplishments

• Truong Giang Corporation v. nka abjhb/Not Applicable, FA2505002156520 (Forum June 13, 2025)
• The Elizabeth Taylor Trust, Interplanet Productions Limited, and The Elizabeth Taylor Cosmetics Company v. Deborah Carruthers, FA2502002139264 (Forum March 18, 2025)
• Screen Actors Guild-American Federation Of Television And Radio Artists v. Mona Carla Toca, FA2412002130540 (Forum January 15, 2025)
• The Elizabeth Taylor Trust, Interplanet Productions Limited and The Elizabeth Taylor Cosmetics Company v. David Varro, FA2412002128380 (Forum January 2, 2025)
• Screen Actors Guild-American Federation Of Television And Radio Artists v. Edin Sinanovic, FA2407002107147 (Forum August 14, 2024)
• Screen Actors Guild-American Federation Of Television And Radio Artists v. John Costello/Sports.Gives, FA2404002092055 (Forum May 6, 2024)
• The Elizabeth Taylor Trust, Interplanet Productions Limited and The Elizabeth Taylor Cosmetics Company v. Saad Gondal, FA2404002091220 (Forum April 26, 2024)
• Todd McFarlane and TMP International LLC v. Tim wang, FA2312002073747 (Forum January 1, 2024)
• The Elizabeth Taylor Trust, Interplanet Productions Limited and The Elizabeth Taylor Cosmetics Company v. Ivaan Silva/Vilnius, FA2309002060796 (Forum October 3, 2023)
• Todd McFarlane and TMP International LLC v. ye chen, FA2301002029529 (Forum March 3, 2023)
• My Fist Productions, Inc. v. Portfolio Admin/Old Mill Sites, FA2004001891154 (Forum May 10, 2020)
• Jeanine Amapola, Inc. v. Courtney Perkins Ferreira, FA2004001891168 (Forum May 6, 2020)
• Daniel Handler v. Masanori Toriimoto/PLAN-B Co. Ltd, FA1803001778986 (Forum May 7, 2018)
• Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists v. Lan Wei, FA1606001681144 (Forum August 3, 2016)
• Robert Downey Jr. v. Shashank Argawal, FA1409001581490 (Nat. Arb. Forum Nov. 10, 2014)
• Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and Screen Actors Guild, Inc. and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists v. Secured Financial Group / Steve Snyder, FA1204001439293 (Nat. Arb. Forum May 17, 2012)
• Idris Elba and Myone Media Inc. v. Direct Privacy ID 6D6CC, FA1108001402898 (Nat. Arb. Forum Sep. 15, 2011)
• WIDE awake-Death Row Entertainment LLC v. LogoMaster.com, FA1104001382039 (Nat. Arb. Forum May 17, 2011)
• Eva Longoria v. Momentum Technology Corporation c/o Paul Barbell, FA1103001380027 (Nat. Arb. Forum May 3, 2011)
• Anthony Hopkins and The Trustees of The Samson Holding Trust, dated December 12, 2005 v. Private Whois Service c/o anthonyhopkins.com, FA1007001337181 (Nat. Arb. Forum Aug. 26, 2010)
• Janet Jackson v Twisted Elegance Interactive, FA0909001286306 (Nat. Arb. Forum 2009)
• George Hamilton v. BWI Domain Manager c/o Domain Manager, FA0904001259771 (Nat. Arb. Forum 2009)
• Christine Ellen Hynde a/k/a Chrissie Hynde v. LOVEARTH.net, FA0809001223929 (Nat. Arb. Forum 2008)
• Patrick Dempsey and TDS 66 Productions, Inc. v. Jennifer Frisby, FA0808001218786 (Nat. Arb. Forum 2008)
• SeeMore Putter Company v. shoebotech c/o You Kwon Kim, FA0804001180718 (Nat. Arb. Forum 2008)
• Jason Bateman v. Yin Sung, FA0711001114949 (Nat. Arb. Forum 2008)
• Richard Starkey v. Mr. Bradley, FA0612000874575 (Nat. Arb. Forum 2007)
• Amanda De Wolf (formerly Moon) and the Estate of Keith Moon v. Dennis Schimka, FA0608000780199 (Nat. Arb. Forum 2006)
• Fred Astaire v. Pingtjin Thum, FA0601000637404 (Nat. Arb. Forum 2006)
• Dame Elizabeth Taylor, The Elizabeth Taylor Cosmetics Company & Interplanet Productions Limited v. K Myers, FA0508000547795 (Nat. Arb. Forum 2005)
• Stevland Morris a/k/a Stevie Wonder v. Unofficial Fan Club c/o Web Master, FA0504000453986 (Nat. Arb. Forum 2005)
• June Bug Enterprises, Inc. v. Mercedita Kyamko, 73 U.S.P.Q.2d 1310 (NAF 2004)
• Sebastian International, Inc. v. Longs Drug Stores Crop., 34 U.S.P.Q. 2d 1720 (9th Cir. 1995)
• Cheatham v. Paisano Publications, Inc., 891 F. Supp. 381 (W.D. KY 1995)
• Sebastian International, Inc. v. Longs Drug Stores Crop., 30 U.S.P.Q.2d 1785 (C.D. Cal 1994)
• Leegin Creative Leather Products, Inc. v. M.M. Rogers and Company, 33 U.S.P.Q.2d 1158 (C.D. Cal 1994)
• Printer's Services Co. v. Bondurant, 20 U.S.P.Q.2d 1626 (C.D. Cal 1994)
• Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. v. SciMed Life Systems, Inc., 988 F.2d 1157 (Fed. Cir. 1993)
• Randomex, Inc. v. Scopus Corp., 849 F.2d 585 (Fed. Cir. 1988)

Beat The Clock: The Effect of Section 412 of the Copyright Act on Post-Infringement Registration

Stephen J. Strauss, Speaker at the Southwestern Law School's Annual Entertainment & Intellectual Property Law Symposium

Stephen J. Strauss, Panelist at the California Copyright Conference

Stephen J. Strauss to present "With a Little Help From my Friends" 4 Key Points in Negotiating Celebrity Endorsement Agreements

Stephen Strauss, Panelist at the LAIPLA Law School Road Show

Stephen Strauss, Speaker at the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) Annual Conference

Stephen Strauss, Adjunct Professor at Southwestern Law School

Stephen Strauss will be a Panelist for the "Intellectual Property - Start to Finish" webinar sponsored by MyLawCLE on June 19, 2018.

Stephen Strauss, Speaker at SAG-AFTRA University

Stephen Strauss, Adjunct Professor at Southwestern Law School

Stephen J. Strauss, Host of Inn of St. Ives at Southwestern Law School

Stephen J. Strauss, Speaker at Israeli-American Council Arts and Entertainment Event

Stephen Strauss, Featured Guest on The Music Combine Podcast

Stephen Strauss, Adjunct Professor at Southwestern Law School

Stephen Strauss, Speaker at The Southwestern Law School American Inn of Court

Stephen Strauss, Panelist at the International Intellectual Property Law Association Virtual IP Summit

Stephen J. Strauss, Adjunct Associate Professor at Southwestern Law School

Stephen J. Strauss, Panelist at the International Intellectual Property Law Association IP Summit

Stephen J. Strauss, 2022 Adjunct Associate Professor, Trademark Law, Southwestern Law School

Stephen J. Strauss, Panelist at INTA 2021 Annual Meeting Virtual +

Stephen Strauss, Moderator at The Southwestern Law School Inn of Court

Stephen J Strauss, Speaker at The Southwestern Law School Homecoming 2022

Stephen J. Strauss, Adjunct Associate Professor, IP Licensing Law, Southwestern Law School

Stephen J. Strauss, 2023 Adjunct Associate Professor, Trademark Law, Southwestern Law School

Stephen J. Strauss, Panelist at the Southwestern Law School

Stephen J. Strauss, Guest Lecturer at Southwestern Law School

Shareholder Stephen J. Strauss, Speaker at the 20th Annual Dialogues on Freedom Program

Stephen J. Strauss, Panelist for the International Intellectual Property Law Association IP Summit

Stephen Strauss, Pupillage Group Leader at The Southwestern Law School Inn of Court

Stephen J. Strauss, Adjunct Professor, Trademark Law

Stephen J. Strauss, Host and Speaker of Inn of St. Ives at Southwestern Law School

Stephen Strauss, Panelist at the Visual Effects Society

Stephen J. Strauss, Speaker - The Wrath of Jack - How the Courts Have Applied the Rogers Test Post-Jack Daniels

Stephen J. Strauss, Speaker at Southwestern Law School Inn of Court

Stephen J. Strauss, Moderator for the International Intellectual Property Law Association IP Summit

Stephen J Strauss, Panelist at the Visual Effects Society and American Society of Cinematographers

Stephen J Strauss, Panelist on Legalities of AI Webinar Presented by The Visual Effects Society