Skip to Main Content

"When I started Build-A-Bear Workshop, Alan Nemes guided me in protecting our brand globally as well as on the internet. Our landmark heart registration allowed us to protect this unique and memorable brand feature worldwide. Alan knows what it takes to support clients with heart and soul to build a great brand."

Maxine Clark, Founder, Build-A-Bear Workshop, and CEO, The Clark-Fox Family Foundation

Overview

National and international food, beverage, fashion and other consumer and brand-centric clients count on Alan to help them gain a competitive edge by protecting and maximizing their intellectual property assets.

Alan’s experience as Intellectual Property Counsel for the former Edison Brothers Stores Inc. affords him direct insight into the challenges and pressures that in-house counsel, marketing executives and business development clients face in their fast-paced businesses. Alan strategizes with clients—from publicly traded billion-dollar companies to startups—to ensure efficient and effective use of their trademarks, copyrights, trade dress, domain names, social media names and other intellectual property. He partners with clients to enforce and enhance their trademarks and other intellectual property.

He represents clients before administrative boards and entities and in courts and manages worldwide enforcement of clients’ intellectual property. Alan protects thousands of trademark applications and registrations, and directs hundreds of enforcement actions around the world. He has won numerous orders and judgments from the U.S. Trial and Appeal Board and trademark tribunals.

"When I started Build-A-Bear Workshop, Alan Nemes guided me in protecting our brand globally as well as on the internet. Our landmark heart registration allowed us to protect this unique and memorable brand feature worldwide. Alan knows what it takes to support clients with heart and soul to build a great brand."

Maxine Clark, Founder, Build-A-Bear Workshop, and CEO, The Clark-Fox Family Foundation

Industries

Services

Recognition

  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Copyright Law, Litigation-Intellectual Property, Trademark Law, 2005-2023; Best Lawyers® Trademark Law "Lawyer of the Year," St. Louis, 2014, 2020; Best Lawyers® Copyright Law "Lawyer of the Year," St. Louis, 2019
  • World Trademark Review 1000: The World’s Leading Trademark Professional, 2021-2022, 2022-2023
  • Chambers USA, Intellectual Property Law, 2012-2018
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent

Education

  • J.D., Washington University in St. Louis School of Law
      • Order of the Coif
      • Washington University Law Review
  • East Asian Legal Studies, Harvard University
  • B.A., Indiana University

Admissions

  • Missouri
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit

Professional Memberships and Certifications

  • American Bar Association
  • The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
  • International Trademark Association
  • The Missouri Bar
Featured Experience

Heart Concealed in Stuffed Animals Wins Trademark Registration

Alan sought trademark registration for a three-dimensional heart that is sewn inside a stuffed animal. Even though the mark cannot be seen after placement, Alan argued in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) that the heart served as a distinct and unique trademark. He succeeded in obtaining registration for the mark in the United States and several other countries around the world.


Additional Experience
  • Manages intellectual property assets for specialty food and beverage companies.
  • Enforces trademark and copyright rights for international fashion brands.
  • Advises consumer products clients in acquisition and divestiture of national and international trademarks.
  • Negotiated multimillion-dollar trademark acquisition agreement for national beverage client.
  • Identifies and obtains nontraditional trademarks for clients.
  • U.S. Trademark Office refused to register client's trademark for food product based upon existing cited registration for restaurant services; appealed to the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) arguing that the marks were distinguishable; obtained reversal from TTAB and registration of mark for client.
  • Obtained multiple decisions before the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) refusing registration of marks infringing upon client's existing registrations, including those in the food, beverage and fashion industries.
Speaking Engagements | February 17, 2023
"Surviving the Law," Washington University Jewish Law Society
Webinar | October 6, 2021
Intellectual Property Webinar Series | Innovation Nation: Recent Trademark & Copyright Cases Affecting Your Business

Due to technical difficulties, this program is being rescheduled from its original date on Monday, September 13.

Webinar | October 2020
Making Your Mark on the World
News Releases | August 15, 2019
Husch Blackwell Places 143 Lawyers in 2020 BL Rankings' Best Lawyers in America®

The firm has eight "Lawyers of the Year" and 11 attorneys appearing on the list for the first time.

News Releases | August 15, 2018
Husch Blackwell Places 143 Lawyers in 2019 BL Rankings' Best Lawyers in America®

The Best Lawyers in America® has listed 143 Husch Blackwell attorneys in its 2019 directory. The firm has eight "Lawyers of the Year" and five attorneys appearing on the list for the first time.

News Releases | May 03, 2018
Chambers USA 2018 Ranks Husch Blackwell in 10 Areas of Law; 37 Attorneys Recognized

Husch Blackwell is well represented in the 2018 Chambers USA directory.

Outside the Office

Alan serves on the National Council of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a bipartisan organization working to promote strong U.S.-Israeli relations, and serves as the St. Louis AIPAC political chair. Additionally, he is past president of Bais Abraham Congregation in St. Louis.

IP Author and Fashion & Apparel

Given his extensive knowledge and experience in product intellectual property, Alan is valued as a speaker and writer.

For the 2012 Oxford University Press book Overlapping Intellectual Property Rights, Alan co-authored the chapter Overlapping Rights in Designs, Trademarks, and Trade Dress.

Alan also has developed a niche practice advising fashion and apparel designers, manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers. Alan also advises companies in the food and beverage industries, representing both local and international clients in protecting and enforcing their IP assets.