Paul W. Reidl

Of Counsel

  • Biography

    Paul Reidl has been practicing law for over 40 years, representing clients in trademark law matters in both the United States and overseas. He is a frequent litigator before Federal courts and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board and has also testified as a trademark expert on numerous occasions.

    Paul joined DP&F’s Intellectual Property group as Of Counsel in early 2022 after thirteen years of solo practice. Prior to starting his own firm in 2009, he was Associate General Counsel with E. & J. Gallo Winery for 18 years. Prior to that, he was a litigator with Crowell & Moring in Washington, D.C.

    Paul is a current member of the Trademark Committee of the Biodynamic Federation of Demeter International.  He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the United States chapter of the International Wine Lawyers’ Association (AIDV).

    He was president of the International Trademark Association (INTA), the global association of trademark owners and practitioners, in 2006. He is a frequent speaker and writer on trademark issues, and from 1999-2010, Paul was a faculty member of the Practicing Law Institute. Paul has been a guest lecturer on trademark law at George Washington University, and through the years, he has conducted many training sessions on wine trademarks for the USPTO Examining Attorneys.

    In addition, Paul recently published his first book, a biography of his grandfather, titled Vell, Vell, Vell: The Life of a Twentieth Century American Immigrant.

    Paul received his B.A. (in political science and speech communication, with a minor in theology) in 1977 and a J.D. in 1980 from George Washington University, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the Law Review. While in law school, he taught Speech Communication at the University for three years.

  • Education
    • B.A., George Washington University (1977)
    • J.D., George Washington University National Law Center (1980)
  • Articles and Presentations
    • Managing Intellectual Property Risk: Practical Tips, International Wine Lawyers Association Annual Congress (Kelowna, BC, September 2023)
    • No Trade, No Trademark: An Exploration of the Nuances of Trademark Use, California Lawyer’s Association (Los Angeles and San Francisco, California) (June 2023)
    • Failure to Function, a Dysfunctional Doctrine, Dallas Bar Association (July 2021)
    • “Owning and Operating a Winery: Intellectual Property Update,” (Seminar Group) (with C. Passarelli) (June 2021)
    • “When is a Generic Term Not Generic: What Did the Supreme Court Unleash in the Booking.com Case,” California Lawyer’s Association (Webinar, August 2020)
    • “Trademark and Copyright Issues in the Wine World: Tips for Reducing Risk and Mazimixing Brand Protection,” National Business Institute (Sacramento, California)(September 2019)
    • “What Goods are Related to Wine and Why Does it Matter,” International Wine Lawyers Association Annual Meeting (Lausanne, Switzerland)(July 2019)
    • “IP Risk Management for Craft Distillers,” American Distilling Institute Annual Meeting (Denver, Colorado)(March 2019)
    • “Leadership in INTA,” INTA Annual Meeting (Seattle, Washington)(May 2018)
    • “Protecting Brands Through Trademark Law,” American Distilling Institute Annual Meeting (Portland, Oregon)(March 2018)
    • “Defending Yourself From Trademark Infringement,” Distillers Magazine (Fall 2017)
    • “USPTO/INTA Industry Training Seminar, Wine Industry” (Alexandria, Virginia)(December 2016)
    • “Resolving and Anticipating Contract, Label and Trademark Issues in the Wine Business,” (National Business Institutes) (Sacramento, California)(November 2016)
    • “Understanding New World Wine Labels,” INTA Annual Meeting (Orlando, Florida)(May 2016)
    • “Intellectual Property and Wine Law,” NBI Wine Law Symposium (San Francisco, California)(December 2015)
    • “Understanding Wine Labels: What is the Meaning of All This Gibberish?,” INTA Annual Meeting (San Diego, California) (May 2015).
    • “How and Why to Protect Your Intellectual Property,” American Distilling Institute (Louisville, Kentucky)(March 2015)
    • “Trademark Issues in the Wine Business” (Philadelphia Intellectual Property Association)(February 2015)
    • “Intellectual Property Issues in Wine Law” (Sacramento, California)(December 2014)
    • “No Trade, No Trade Mark: An Exploration of the Nuances of Trademark Use,” State Bar of California Intellectual Property Section Annual Meeting (Los Angeles, California)(November 2014).
    • “Trade Dress Law,” IP Issues in the Food and Beverage Industries (Napa, California)(October 2014)
    • “Managing Brand Risks in a Global Marketplace,” (with Judith Schvimmer and Jerry Jolley), 8th Annual Conference on Best Practices in Winery Operations (Napa, California)(March 2014)
    • “Using Expert Witnesses in the United States,” AIDV Annual Meeting (Vienna, Austria)(October 2013)
    • “Think Big! Ethics and Personal Responsibility,” (with James McCarthy and Michael Mettauer), INTA Annual Meeting (Dallas, Texas)(May 2013)
    • “Understanding New World Wine Labels,” INTA Annual Meeting (Dallas, Texas)(May 2013)
    • “Brand Protection and Strategy in the Wine Sector” (with Jeffrey Friedman), 7th Annual Conference on Best Practices in Winery Operations (Napa, California)(March 2013)
    • “Protecting Brands Through Trademark Licensing:  A Convergence of Legal and Business Objectives,” Intellectual Property Owners Association Annual Meeting (San Antonio, Texas)(September 2012).
    • “What Hath Al Gore Wrought: The Impact of (New) Electronic Media on Intellectual Property Rights & Risks,” Alcohol Beverage Law and Technology Conference (San Francisco, California)(May 2012)
    • “Understanding New World Wine Labels,” INTA Annual Meeting (Washington, D.C.)(May 2012)
    • “Social Media Tips and Pitfalls,” Managing Intellectual Property Magazine (February 2012)
    • “Supply Contracts:  Coping With the Three Tier Distribution System in the United States,” AIDV Annual Meeting (Logrono, Spain)(October 2011)
    • “Using Social Media in Personal Branding,” INTA Annual Meeting Workshop (San Francisco, California)(May 2011)
    • “Understanding New World Wine Labels,” INTA Annual Meeting (San Francisco, California)(May 2011)
    • “Kendall-Jackson v. E. & J. Gallo Winery: Anatomy of a Trademark and Trade Dress Case,” Dallas Bar Association (Dallas, Texas)(April 2011)
    • “Brand Protection in the Social Media Environment,” SOCIALEX Forum on Legal Issues in Social Media (Washington, D.C.)(March 2010)
    • “Geographic Indication Registration Systems for Wines,” AIDV Annual Meeting (Trier, Germany)(October 2009)
    • “Market Evolution and Brand Collision,” INTA Annual Meeting Workshop (2009)
    • Contributing author to Fab Job Guide to Becoming a Winery Owner (B. Pearce, ed.)(2009)
    • “Trademarks and the Calculus of Evolution,” Managing Intellectual Property Magazine (May 2009)
    • Trademark Dilution (University of Southern California I.P. Law Institute, 2008)(with Professors J. Thomas McCarthy and Roger Schechter)
    • “Trade Practices and Intellectual Property,” Chapter 9 in Point of Purchase Advertising (Point of Purchase Advertising Int’l)(2008)
    • “Careers in Trademark Law,” INTA Young Practitioners Forum (San Francisco, October 2007)
    • “The Survey Blues,” INTA Annual Meeting (May 2007)
    • “Geographic Indications, Trademarks, and International Issues,” Guest Lecturer, Seminar on Advanced Trademark Law, The George Washington University Dean Dinwoodey Center for Intellectual Property Studies (2007, 2008)
    • “The Trademark Dilution Revision Act of 2006,” The George Washington University Dean Dinwoodey Center for Intellectual Property Studies (November 2006)
    • “Global Trademark Programs: What You Should Know,” INTA Roundtable Forum, Beijing, China (October 2006)
    • “Strategic Considerations in Global Trademark Registration and Enforcement Programs,” Hangzhou, China (October 2006)
    • “Maximizing Portfolio Value Through Licensing and Franchising,” INTA China Forum, Hangzhou, China (October 2006)
    • “Living in the Age of the Lightning Brand,” President’s Address, INTA Annual Meeting (2006)
    • “In Vino Veritas: Ruminations on the Labeling of Wines,” INTA Annual Meeting (2005)
    • “Strategic Considerations in Cross-Border Litigation,” INTA Leadership Meeting (2003)
    • “Geographic Indications and Wine Trademarks,” INTA Bulletin (September 2003)
    • “On Treaties,” 93 Trademark Rep. 99 (2003)(© 2003 the International Trademark Association) (Reprinted with permission)
    • “Creating and Managing an International Trademark Portfolio,” Intellectual Property Law for Corporate Counsel (Northstar 2003.)
    • USPTO Class 33 Training Session (May 2002)
    • “New Member Orientation; How to Survive the Annual Meeting,” INTA Annual Meeting (2002)
    • “Beer and Wine Advertising and Promotion … Why It’s not all ‘Fun and Games,'” INTA Annual Meeting (2000)
    • “Beyond the Vineyard: Miscellanea That Will Amaze Your Friends and Confound Your Colleagues,” INTA Trademark and Paralegal Forum (1999)
    • “Creating and Managing a Global Trademark Portfolio,” Practicing Law Institute Understanding Basic Trademark Law Program (1999 – 2010)
    • “The Use of Survey Evidence in Dilution Cases: Corporate Counsel Challenges,” INTA Dilution and Famous Marks Forum (1998)
    • “Keys to an Effective Trademark Enforcement Program,” 20th Annual Intellectual Property Law Institute, State Bar of California (1995)
    • J. MacLeod, R. McMillan & P. Reidl, Coal Supply Contracts, Chapter 23 in Energy Law (Matthew Bender, 1990)
    • Author (and co-author with T. Biddle) of five Chapters in Mine Safety and Health Law, 1 Coal Law and Regulation (Matthew Bender, 1983)
    • Note, 48 G.W.U.L.Rev 791 (1980)(discussing constitutional limitations on the assessment of license fees by Federal agencies)
  • Associations
    • California State Bar
    • Admitted in all Federal Courts in California and the 9th Circuit
    • International Trademark Association (2006 President)
    • AIDV