Christina L. Martini

Overview

As global head of McDermott’s trademark prosecution and controversy practice, Christina (Tina) L. Martini focuses her practice on domestic and international trademark and copyright law, as well as domain name, Internet, social media, advertising, unfair competition and entertainment law.

Tina advises clients across the full gamut of soft intellectual property (IP) issues and across a wide range of industries, including pharmaceutical and life sciences, professional services, food and beverage, housewares, apparel, energy, agriculture, consulting, restaurant, franchising, advertising, real estate and financial services.

Her global experience includes brand development and brand management. Tina also develops, maintains and enforces large global IP portfolios. She works closely with companies from the beginning stages of product development and provides strategic advice in searching and filing for brand names domestically and internationally. She creates global filing strategies to maximize clients’ protection of their valuable brands in a streamlined, cost-effective way and handles the global registration, maintenance, enforcement, licensing and disposition of those rights. Tina also creates and implements IP policies and process plans that are tailored to meet her clients’ legal and business needs. Additionally, she has extensive experience in negotiating and drafting a wide variety of agreements that address various IP rights in jurisdictions worldwide.

Tina also has an extremely active global enforcement and litigation practice and has been instrumental in numerous litigation successes and proceedings in federal and state courts and before various administrative organizations, such as the World Intellectual Property Organization. She has a proven track record in global online enforcement issues, including infringements involving domain name and third-party websites, social media platforms and online marketplaces, and in successfully combating instances of fraud, phishing, impersonations and other online abuses by leveraging IP tools to develop sophisticated, multipronged enforcement approaches.

She has also been retained as an expert witness regarding trademark, unfair competition and trade dress law issues, as well as US Patent & Trademark Office practice.

Clients trust Tina with their most pressing legal issues, both within and outside the IP space, including accounting liability, employment, trade secrets, regulatory matters, investor disputes, commercial litigation, real estate and financial transactions, and corporate restructurings, among others. Tina regularly collaborates with her clients and McDermott colleagues across myriad practice areas and frequently leads cross-office, cross-disciplinary client service teams, including for bet-the-company engagements.

In addition to her Trademark Group leadership role, Tina also sits on McDermott’s Racial and Ethnic Diversity Committee and Gender Diversity Committee and serves as the co-lead of the Gender Diversity Committee’s Business Development Working Group. She also previously served as the Firm’s co-national hiring partner.

Prior to joining McDermott, Tina was a partner at an AmLaw 100 global firm where she practiced for nearly 25 years. She held a number of key leadership roles, including serving as that firm’s National Hiring Partner-Associate Recruiting, sitting on the firm’s Executive and Policy Committees, serving as chair of its Chicago Intellectual Property Practice and serving on its Diversity and Inclusion Steering Committee, among other roles.

Thought Leadership, Press and Community

Tina is the co-host of the WGN Radio show Legal Face-Off, one of the nation’s premier legal programs. She is also the host and producer of the weekly legal podcast Paradigm Shift, where she explores the business context, which drives both the legal profession and business landscape. Tina is a frequent speaker and author on a myriad of topics impacting both the legal and business landscapes. For nearly 15 years, Tina is also a regular columnist for the Chicago Lawyer magazine which features her column “Inside Out” which explores the business of law from the in-house and private practice perspectives.

Tina is a multimedia journalist, legal commentator and podcast host and has contributed to many media outlets, including Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters, WGN Radio, Huffington Post, Fast Company, Corporate Counsel magazine, Law360, National Law Journal, Inside Counsel magazine, Little PINK Book, Chicago Lawyer magazine, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and World Trademark Review. Tina frequently speaks on myriad topics, including business of law issues and trends impacting both the legal and business landscapes.

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Results

Best Lawyers in America, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Chicago, 2024-2025, Patent Law, Chicago, 2013-2025, Trademark Law, Chicago, 2013-2025
Lexology, Client Choice, IP – Trademarks, 2025
World Trademark Review 1000, Leading Trademark Practitioner, 2011-2024
World Trademark Review Global Leaders, 2020-2024

Recognitions

Tina has received numerous accolades during her professional career. In 2022, Tina was recognized with the American Bar Association’s Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement, a prestigious national award that honors outstanding women lawyers who have achieved professional excellence within their area of specialty and have actively paved the way to success for other women lawyers.
In 2021, Tina was named the “Trademark Lawyer of the Year – Americas” as part of Euromoney’s Women in Business Law Awards and was additionally named a “Top Woman Lawyer in Leadership” by the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois.
Tina was also named among Crain’s Chicago Business 2020 Notable Women in Law, a prestigious honor that recognizes women in the Chicago community who not only serve as role models in their workplace, but also have contributed to their communities through personal and philanthropic activities. In 2017, Crain’s Chicago Business named Tina as one of Chicago’s Most Influential Minority Lawyers and in 2018 as one of Chicago’s Notable Minority Lawyers.

Since 2017, Tina was honored by Thomson Reuters as a Stand-Out Lawyer (f/k/a Acritas), which is a source of highly recommended lawyers that is a result of a survey of more than 3,000 senior in-house counsel globally. Core attributes that were repeatedly expressed as distinguishing features for Stand-Out Lawyers include: being experts in their field, responsive, pragmatic, adept at building rapport with clients, approachable and business-minded.
In 2017, Tina was one of four recipients of the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) Women of Achievement Award. Presented each year by the Greater Chicago / Upper Midwest Regional Chapter of the ADL, the award recognizes women who are outstanding in their respective fields and embody the spirit and philosophy of ADL through efforts to improve communication and understanding among Chicago’s diverse, racial, religious and ethnic communities. Past recipients include Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser to former President Barack Obama; Lynn Martin, former US Secretary of Labor; Andrea Zopp, former CEO and president of the Chicago Urban League; and many other general counsel and executives of Fortune 100 companies and leading professional services firms.
From 2011 to 2024, Tina was named in World Trademark Review 1000 (WTR), a guide to the world’s leading trademark practitioners. She has received the rare recognition of being highly ranked for both prosecution and strategy (Gold ranking in Illinois) as well as for enforcement and litigation (Silver ranking in Illinois). She has also been ranked as a Global Leader by this publication. WTR notes that she is recognized by clients and others in the legal industry as “a juggernaut in the trademark market” “who lives and breathes trademarks” and “who has represented nearly every industry and witnessed almost every trademark issue” across her career. She receives glowing reviews: ‘Tina is a star who stands out for the quality of her intellect, professionalism and drive. I hold her advice in counselling and sophisticated transactions in high regard. She is brilliant and an expert in the trademark arena, which she continuously demonstrates in thought leadership. She is among the best of the very best. McDermott is a top law firm, and they certainly are better by Tina’s presence.’” WTR also notes that Tina plays a significant role in developing and implementing brand strategies for clients in both global and local markets, and in protecting clients’ trademark rights in the event of infringement. WTR states that “she has been pulling the strings in a number of sophisticated enforcement and pre-litigation mandates,” and she has “an exceptional mind and sense for portfolio management and can juggle huge workloads – her strategic thinking distinguishes her from others. A juggernaut in the trademark market, [she] is thoughtful, intelligent, client-oriented and an inspiration.” WTR has also stated that she “has broad sector knowledge and a concomitantly varied clientele; advertising, unfair competition and internet-related matters are her strong suit and, by all accounts, she performs excellently.” One client states, “Christina is one of the best IP lawyers you could hope to work with – her business acumen is outstanding. She always keeps an eye on budgets and is very cost-conscious and up front on fees.” WTR also states that she “shine[s] across a range of mandates. Martini’s science background serves her well on pharmaceutical and food briefs – as does her familiarity with food and drug regulations. Having been seconded to Fortune 100 companies, Monsanto and Kraft, she can put herself in her clients’ shoes and anticipate their aims, whether she is thinking through the next steps of portfolio development or launching a complaint against a competitor. She is a great practitioner whose reputation precedes her.” Clients and peers “profess themselves proud to collaborate with her” and state that “[h]er trademark and copyright practice is all the more impressive given her in-depth knowledge of domain name, Internet, social media, advertising and competition matters.” Tina is also described as “strong, respected and well-known” and “dependably quick, logical and thoughtful.” WTR also comments that “[she] continues to make a great impression. She compliments her excellent service and deep legal knowledge with invaluable insight gained through her past in-house experience.” World Trademark Review further notes that she is “highly skilled and articulate. She is a trademark expert in all areas, and her quality of work is of an exceedingly high level. In addition, the erudite practitioner is great on a personal level- she is both trustworthy and easy-going.” She is an “outstanding lawyer” and “highly effective brand strategist,” who “delivers unparalleled assistance. Her strategic skill is second to none.”
For many years, Tina has been rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, based on peer and client reviews and surveys. In addition, she has been selected as one of America’s leading intellectual property lawyers by Chambers & Partners, a respected English research firm. Chambers & Partners has stated that Tina is “well regarded” and “focuses on international trademark and copyright law, with a respected track record relating to the internet and entertainment law.” Chambers states that “[she] maintains a notable trademark practice, advising clients on the management of international portfolios and handling related prosecution and regulatory matters. As global head of McDermott’s trademark prosecution and controversy practice, she is experienced in providing counsel on social media and online advertising concerns.” One client told Chambers that she “is a high-caliber transactional, planning and portfolio management lawyer. She is impressive.” Another client told Chambers that “[s]he is great in that she is very practical. She tailored all of our decisions to our company’s needs.” Clients have also praised Tina for her background in industrial engineering, which gives her the “extraordinary ability to produce appropriate analysis for any situation and offer outstanding solutions to the client’s varied and complex legal needs.” She “provides excellent client service,” is “a joy to work with,” is “skilled, intelligent and business-savvy,” has “tremendous enthusiasm, passion, diligence and attention to detail,” and “ensures that she is providing what a client needs.” Clients have also said, “She is exceptional. Serious, strategic and highly intelligent. She is sensitive to our business needs and very commercially minded.” The directory has further noted that she “assesses risk not just from a textbook legal perspective, but also in a way that can be communicated to business leaders.” She is also recognized for her “strategic vision,” being “very good at giving advice from a 10,000-foot macro level.” Clients also say Tina has “excellent client service skills and is devoted to ensuring that all needs and objectives are satisfied,” and she has been praised for her “exceptional sense of responsibility to her clients.” “One source said: ‘If I had a trademark prosecution issue, I would hire her in a second.’”
For several years, Tina was recognized in Legal 500, with a client recently telling researchers that “[Tina] is my main person… smart, efficient, responsive, credible. She has worked on projects for my clients where I have a conflict and as an expert witness. Perfect job .” Legal 500 assesses the strengths of law firms and legal individuals in more than 150 jurisdictions and highlights those who are providing the most cutting edge and innovative advice to corporate counsel.
In 2014, Managing Intellectual Property, a leading global news and analysis publication, included Tina in its list of “IP Stars – Top 250 Women in IP.” Since 2019, the publication has included Tina on its list of “IP Stars.” Practitioners are chosen for these recognitions who are deemed “the best of the best in their field” following extensive client case research and over 1,000 peer interviews and surveys conducted by the publication’s editorial team.
Tina is one of only 165 lawyers named to the 2010 BTI Client Service All-Star Team for Law Firms, which recognizes lawyers who “top the charts in client service excellence” and “have packaged proactive outreach, counseling and a healthy dose of practicality with their deep understanding of their clients’ business.” Lawyers appear on the list only if they are named by clients in an unprompted manner through BTI’s research. The rankings are driven solely by feedback received directly from corporate counsel from large and Fortune 1000 companies.
Since 2013, Tina has been named a Fellow of The American Bar Foundation, which is an organization dedicated to advancing justice through research on the law, its processes and its impact on society. Tina has also been designated an Illinois Super Lawyer, as the result of research projects conducted jointly by Law & Politics and Chicago magazines. She is the recipient of Lawyer Monthly magazine’s “Women in Law Award,” and has also been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America, Chicago’s Best Lawyers, Chicago Tribune’s Best Lawyers in Illinois, Euromoney’s Trade Mark Expert Guide, Guide to the World’s Leading Trademark Law Practitioners and Guide to the World’s Leading Women in Business Law, Corporate LiveWire’s Best in Trademark Law Services and M&A Awards, Legal Leader’s Chicago’s Top Rated Lawyers and by American Registry in its list of America’s Most-Honored Professionals and Top Attorneys in Illinois.
In 2013, the Law Bulletin Publishing Company named Tina as one of only 17 lawyers to receive the “Women in Law: Women Making an Impact” award. As the Law Bulletin notes, clients and colleagues say Tina “is one of the best lawyers” they have worked with, and that she “is clearly dedicated to her client’s best interests.” They also say that she is “extremely bright,” does a “fabulous job for her clients” and has “extraordinary energy, enthusiasm and insight.”
In 2013, the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin featured Tina in the profile “A Seat at the Table,” where she discussed her various leadership roles and career.
In 2013, Chicago Lawyer magazine featured Tina in its “Checking in on the ‘Next Generation of Law Firm Leaders.’” This article was a follow up to the magazine’s 2009 cover story about Tina as one of a small group of “leaders of the future” who “go above and beyond practicing law because they care about what their firm looks like today and will look like in the future.” In the 2013 update, Tina reflects on the developments in her career over the past several years, along with the changes in the industry and how previous predictions about the future of law compare to how things are today.
In 2010, the Law Bulletin Publishing Company, publisher of Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and Chicago Lawyer magazine, named Tina one of “40 Illinois Attorneys under Forty to Watch.” As the Law Bulletin notes, clients, colleagues and peers consider her an “extremely talented,” “outstanding” and “profoundly committed” professional who “has very sharp analytical skills, great intuition and ability to work in the gray areas” and “has a very practical wisdom, something you might expect to see in someone who has practiced law for over 30 years.”

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Community

Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, Advisory Board of Directors, 2023–present
Intellectual Trademark Association (INTA), Building Bridges Committee, 2023–present. The Building Bridges Committee aims to connect non-IP and non-legal associations to help INTA create sustainable and positive relationships, promote the value of trademark and brands, and facilitate the advancement of the Association’s Strategic Plan.
ABA Commission on Women in the Profession, special advisor, 2023-present. In the role, Tina focuses on a number of initiatives, including the Commission’s Grit Project, as well as the Commission’s subcommittee that leads the Margaret Brent Awards, all in furtherance of the Commission’s goal to secure women’s full and equal participation in the ABA, the profession and the justice system.