William “Bill” R. Hansen

Mr. Hansen is a member of the Executive Committee of Lathrop & Gage LLP. He regularly serves as lead trial counsel in intellectual property matters for Fortune 500 U.S. companies and international companies in cases filed under the U.S. Lanham Act, including trademark infringement and false advertising, patent and copyright infringement cases. In addition to litigation, Mr. Hansen has significant experience in all aspects of trademark and copyright practice, including cases before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, trademark and copyright clearance and counseling.

Hansen’s career in the field of intellectual property law spans more than 30 years. He was a partner in Nims Howes, a law firm responsible for much of the framework of today’s intellectual property law, especially cases involving trademark infringement, trade dress and unfair competition.

Court Memberships

• New York
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

Honors

• Selected as New York Super Lawyer in IP since March 2007 
• Selected among the world’s top trademark attorneys by Euromoney International Investor.
• Recognized in the Guide to the World’s Leading Trademark Law Practitioners, 2008, 2012 editions
• Named as one of the World’s Leading Trademark Law Practitioners by Managing Intellectual Property magazine

Professional Affiliations

• Pharmaceutical Trade Mark Group (U.K. based)
• New York Intellectual Property Law Association
• International Trademark Association (INTA)

Representative Matters

• Cargill, Inc. v. Sears Petroleum & Transportation Inc.: As lead counsel in a five-week patent infringement case, Hansen successfully obtained for Sears Petroleum a jury verdict of validity and infringement for a patent involving chemical compositions used to de-ice roads. 
• Pandora Jewelry, LLC cases: As lead counsel, Hansen has defended Pandora’s intellectual property rights, including patents, trademarks and copyrights, for its successful launch of its world famous PANDORA jewelry in the United States. 
• Trustees of Dartmouth College: Helping to establish the licensing program for the famous DARTMOUTH name and mark, Hansen has advised the College in trademark and copyright matters since 1980. 
• American Italian Pasta Company v. New World Pasta: Hansen was lead counsel and argued successfully before the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals that “America’s Favorite Pasta,” was mere puffery. 
• Purebred Company v. H.J. Heinz, et al.: Hansen was Lead IP Counsel in a three-week jury trial representing the defendants in trademark infringement, unfair competition and false advertising claims. 
• Ermenegildo Zegna Corporation v. Lanificio Mario Zegna: This international dispute over the name and mark ZEGNA started in 1984 and involved cases in the U.S. District Court, Court of Appeals and International Arbitration before the matter settled favorably in 2004. 
• Sears PLC v. Sears Roebuck and Co.: Hansen represented Sears Roebuck and Co. in an international dispute over the use and registration name and mark SEARS against Sears PLC, the parent company of a U.K. department store and specialty store retailer. 
• Merck & Co., Inc. v. Vioxx Corporation: Hansen was lead counsel for Merck in this settled case involving the important pharmaceutical trademark VIOXX. 
• Weight Watchers, Inc. v. Stouffers Lean Cuisine: Hansen was lead counsel for Weight Watchers in a two-week bench trial involving trademark infringement and false advertising issues known as the “Diet Food War.”

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Presentations

Mr. Hansen has lectured internationally to the Pharmaceutical Trademarks Group, to the British Institute of Trademark Attorneys, to the University of Copenhagen School of Law, and has assisted in the organization of annual meetings of the International Trademark Association.