We are a boutique law firm that creates tailored solutions to complicated problems.
As sophisticated practitioners of intellectual property, energy, and environmental law, we have the experience necessary to craft solutions in a courtroom, a committee room, or a conference room. We ably navigate the intersections of business and government, whether that involves obtaining or defending a copyright or trademark registration or demystifying compliance with an environmental regulation.
The Firm
Rivenoak Law takes its name from a method of woodworking that produced especially strong and long-lasting results, but required an experienced and talented individual focused on cutting with the grain. We approach practicing law the same way — our job is to craft good solutions that reflect the grain of both the law and the way our clients work. We have advised clients in a wide range of industries including automotive, manufacturing, internet and e-commerce, energy, chemical, health care, broadcasting and entertainment, banking and finance, telecommunications and media, fine and performing arts, and consumer goods. Our clients range from individuals and start-up entrepreneurs to large national and international corporations. They have two things in common: a thorny problem that is getting in the way of their success, and a desire to find a lawyer who can solve it while feeling like a member of their team.
Our attorneys are professionals who are regularly called upon to ply their craft in tricky situations, as their resumes show. Our partners have all held gubernatorial appointments and federal clerkships. They have all received leadership awards and been named “rising stars” or “top lawyers." They lead non-profit boards and are asked to teach students and speak on their areas of law. Our attorneys are committed to the success of their clients and their communities, and when they decide to do something, they get results.
Practice Areas
Trademark and
Copyright Law
Our team develops intellectual property protection and value-creation strategies that balance each client’s business priorities with its budget realities, with an eye to maximizing enforceability.
Rivenoak Law advises clients on the constantly changing landscape of advertising, branding, marketing, internet, and copyright issues. We prepare, file, and maintain applications for trademark registration in the United States and around the world through our network of foreign associates. Clients seek our help with regulatory compliance matters, truth-in- advertising and claim-substantiation disputes, and in reviewing website and advertising copy and packaging. We send and respond to cease-and- desist letters, and advise on fair use issues.
IP Litigation and
Local Counsel
Rivenoak Law litigates intellectual property disputes including patent, trademark, copyright, unfair competition, trade secret, domain name, cybersquatting, and technology-related actions. Equally experienced in plaintiff-side and defense litigation, we draw upon our collective and diverse experiences when counseling clients on potential outcomes, reasoned settlement options, and calculated litigation strategies. When the scope of enforcement extends beyond U.S. borders, we manage international litigation through our worldwide network of foreign associates.
The attorneys at Rivenoak Law also serve as Local Counsel for law firms from across the country on pending litigation in Michigan. We customize our role and involvement in each case, from serving as lead counsel to supportive team player.
Licensing and
Agreements
Rivenoak Law negotiates and drafts licenses and agreements that maximize the value of our clients’ intellectual property assets. We advise clients on obtaining, establishing and maintaining rights in their intellectual property by negotiating a wide range of agreements, from non-disclosure and joint development agreements, to technology transfer and acquisition/divestiture agreements. We also support mergers and acquisitions by performing intellectual property due
diligence.
Rivenoak Law also advises artists, filmmakers, musicians, and authors on protecting and enforcing rights in artistic works. The scope of our practice permits us to tailor our approach for each client, from non-profit institutions to individuals, corporations and foreign entities. We provide a full range of services, such as filing copyright and trademark applications, negotiating licenses and agreements, drafting name-and- likeness releases, reviewing publication contracts, and resolving disputes over ownership or unauthorized use.
Environmental Law
Environmental law requires an understanding of both the law and the science underlying it. Our team brings that sophisticated lens to our client’s environmental work.
Rivenoak Law advises clients on a wide variety of environmental issues across different media. Our team has experience securing permits, ensuring a rule change allows for sensible compliance, or ensuring a real estate transaction doesn’t leave a client with unexpected liabilities. We help make brownfield redevelopments successful and identify strategies for environmental compliance and defense. Deep experience in law, rule, and policy-making give us the ability to communicate well with regulators and find workable solutions to unusual problems.
Energy Law
Rivenoak Law’s team knows Michigan’s energy law like few others — because they don’t just read it, they wrote some of it, they teach it, and they practice it.
Whether it is representation in a proceeding before the Public Service Commission, securing an interconnection agreement or tariff change in the MISO or PJM footprint, or securing long-term energy supply for a new facility, our team has experience in solving some of the most specialized and difficult problems around.
Governmental Law
Rivenoak Law knows that governments face unique challenges in supplying infrastructure and services that citizens need and expect, and they have been instrumental in achieving some of the most creative solutions around.
Whether it is financing improvements in new ways with structures that can survive challenges, identifying opportunities for coordination across infrastructure types, creating new multi-jurisdictional entities, or negotiating long-term contracts, our team understands how governments work and shepherds projects from start to finish.
