Overview
Jennifer M. Mikulina is the co-head of McDermott’s global Intellectual Property (IP) Group and focuses her practice on trademark and copyright counseling, licensing, prosecution, and enforcement. A recognized leader in her field and frequent speaker on cutting-edge trademark and copyright issues, Jennifer delivers a practical, actionable, and client-first approach to legal work. According to one client quoted in World Trademark Review, “She provides top-notch service, which is both timely and extremely efficient; I wouldn’t go to anybody else for assistance.” Another client recognized Jennifer as “one of the most knowledgeable, humble, compassionate and patient trademark professionals anywhere. She is an excellent listener and problem solver with a unique ability to break down complex IP concepts into bite-sized, manageable pieces.”
Across her wide-ranging practice, Jennifer counsels companies in the alcoholic beverage, consumer goods, food products, health and life sciences, insurance, hospitality, restaurant services, and software and technology industries, among others.
Corporations around the world turn to Jennifer to register, maintain, protect, and license their trademarks, service marks, domain names, and other key brand assets. She regularly assists clients with developing and implementing international brand management strategies and enforcement programs.
Jennifer works closely with members of the Firm’s corporate advisory, health and life sciences, and tax practice groups on the IP aspects of transactions, including strategic alliances, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, and complex IP license structures for public and privately held companies. Her practice includes counseling clients on the IP implications related to licensing data, with significant experience working with healthcare technology companies, healthcare providers, research institutions, and academic medical centers in the digital health space.
Jennifer’s leadership roles include serving as the former head of the group’s IP transactions and licensing practice and trademark prosecution practice. She previously led the Firm’s Gender Diversity Committee and is a current member and former lead of the Firm’s Chicago Pro Bono and Community Service Committee. Jennifer provides pro bono services to a variety of clients.
Results
- Advised clients on IP ownership and licensing structures in connection with tax-based restructurings and post-acquisition integrations
- Counseled clients in various industries on developing IP policies
- Advised multinational corporations on IP matters related to restructurings, acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, post-acquisition integrations, and internal reorganizations
- Counseled companies around the world in the selection, clearance and protection of trademarks
- Worked with clients and US Customs and Border Protection officers on the seizure of counterfeit goods
- Represented clients in numerous opposition and cancellation proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board and in Uniform Domain Name Dispute Proceedings before the National Arbitration Forum
- Represented a consumer goods company in a trademark infringement, unfair competition, deceptive trade practices, counterfeiting and design infringement lawsuit against a major retailer for sales of unauthorized and defective goods
- Defended a consumer services company in trademark infringement litigation regarding company name used in over 2,000 stores across the United States
Recognitions
- Chambers USA, Intellectual Property, 2020-2024
- Legal 500 US, 2016-2024
- Super Lawyers, Top 50: Women Illinois Super Lawyers, 2022-2025
- Super Lawyers, 2018-2025
- Managing Intellectual Property, Trade Mark Star, 2020-2024
- World Trademark Review Global Leaders, 2020-2023
- Lawyers for the Creative Arts, Thomas R. Leavens Award, 2023
- Best Lawyers in America, Trademark Law, 2016-2021, 2025
- Expert Guides, Women in Business Law, 2020-2021
- Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, 2014 Top Women Lawyers in Leadership (one of six attorneys to receive this honor)
- World Trademark Review 1000 – The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals, 2012-2023
- National Association of Women Lawyers, 2020 Outstanding Member Award
- International Trademark Association, Individual Pro Bono Volunteer Service Award, 2015
- McDermott Will & Emery Award for Outstanding Commitment and Service to the Community, Chicago (2011), Firm wide (2006)
Community
- International Trademark Association (INTA)
- Leadership Development Committee, member (2024-2025)
- Law Firm Committee, chair (2022-2023), vice chair (2021-2022)
- Chairman’s Task Force on Law Firms of the Future, member
- Pro Bono Committee, former member
- Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana Board of Directors, former board vice president
- Lawyers for the Creative Arts, Board of Directors, vice president (2024-present), former secretary
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Economics Department Advisory Board
- University of Wisconsin-Madison International Division Board of Visitors
- Chicago Women in Intellectual Property, member
- National Association of Women Lawyers, member
