Debevoise & Plimpton LLP was recognized at the Managing IP Americas Awards 2021 as the “Trademark Contentious Firm of the Year” in recognition of the firm’s leading work on trademark-related disputes throughout the United States during the past year. The firm also was selected as the winner of the “Impact Cases of the Year” award for its work on the USPTO v Booking.com B.V. case. The Debevoise team advising Booking.com was led by intellectual property litigation partner David Bernstein and associate Jared Kagan.
The USPTO v Booking.com B.V. case was the first-ever case in the U.S. Supreme Court argued by telephone. The Court ruled 8-1 in favor of Debevoise client, Booking.com B.V., one of the world’s leading digital travel companies. In the decision, written by Justice Ginsburg, the Court held that Booking.com B.V. could register as a trademark its eponymous domain name, BOOKING.COM.
In addition to the two firm-wide awards, David Bernstein, chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Group, was selected as “Litigation Practitioner of the Year” for New York. During the award ceremony, Mr. Bernstein was described by Managing IP as “one of the most respected trademark practitioners practicing today.” Mr. Bernstein focuses on intellectual property and unfair competition matters including trademark and trade dress infringement and dilution, false advertising law, and Internet and domain name law. Mr. Bernstein also is an active arbitrator, including with the World Intellectual Property Organization Arbitration and Mediation Center and the FORUM; is active in the International Trademark Association, where he chairs the U.S. Amicus Subcommittee; and is an adjunct professor of law at New York University, the University of California, Berkeley, and George Washington University.
The Managing IP Awards program recognizes remarkable achievements and developments in the last year. It is one of the most comprehensive and widely respected IP law firm awards programs in the world and covers a broad range of IP practice areas and more than 30 jurisdictions.