Experience

Mr. Erikson has a broad range of experience, with clients of all shapes and sizes. His associate lawyers round out a full service practice.

Litigation
Erikson and his team have successfully represented clients in scores of business legal disputes, from early attempts to negotiate resolutions through trial. Erikson’s commercial litigation matters include contract, intellectual property, fraud, privacy, unfair competition, construction, partnership, and negligence claims, to name a few.

Highlights of Mr. Erikson’s Litigation Experience Include:

• Defense of several Fortune 500 companies in million-dollar-plus contract disputes.
• Several high-dollar partnership breakups, often involving creative companies such as fashion and media entities.
• Actions on behalf of high-profile fashion designers and other artists to enforce copyright and trademark rights.
• A trademark infringement action brought on behalf of a nationally known bookselling website.
• Malpractice actions brought against other lawyers.
• Securities fraud cases, including a investment fraud action brought on behalf of an individual cheated of $1 million-plus.
• An action against an international import/export company for distributing grey market goods.
• Several multi-million dollar construction cases, brought on behalf of property owners.
• Defense of an electronic equipment dealer in an international finance lawsuit.
• Defense of personal injury actions, including on behalf of a casino and aircraft manufacturer.
• Defense of a shoe manufacturer in a patent infringement action.

Intellectual Property
Mr. Erikson has represented clients in copyright, trademark, patent and trade secret matters, involving everything from securing, licensing and transferring basic rights to handling complex copyright and trademark infringement disputes. IP litigation highlights include a number of IP lawsuits brought on behalf of fashion lines, photographers, musicians, interior designers, retailers, advertisers and a national bookselling Web site, and defense of a shoe manufacturer in a patent infringement action.

Art and Fashion Law
Mr. Erikson has represented a number of creative clients in both transactional and litigation matters – often representing individual and small business artists against deeper pockets. Highlights include representation of:

• Fashion lines in intellectual property matters.
• Singer-songwriters and bands in negotiations and disputes with record companies and licensors.
• Artists and designers whose work is copied or used without authorization (or who are accused of the same).
• Artists and designers who have trouble getting paid.
• Film and television producers in various disputes and transactions.
• A national theater chain against its insurer for coverage of a trademark infringement action.

Real Estate Law
Mr. Erikson has handled a wide variety of real estate matters, including simple commercial lease negotiations and disputes, complex construction litigation, nuisance and neighbor litigation, mechanics’ lien and lis pendens practice and land-use matters. Highlights include representation of:

• A casino in a multimillion dollar construction litigation against general and sub-contractors.
• Homeowners in disputes with architects and contractors.
• A national hotel chain in a regulatory and land use matter.
• Commercial property owner in a lawsuit by tenants claiming landlord liability for burglaries.

Employment Law
Mr. Erikson has handled a number of labor and employment matters, including wrongful termination, trade secrets, and other employee dispute lawsuits – as well as drafting and review of employment, independent contractor and consulting agreements.

Insurance Law
Mr. Erikson has brought and defended a number of insurance coverage and bad-faith lawsuits – both at the trial court and appellate levels. Highlights include an action by a national theater chain suing its insurer for coverage in a trademark infringement action; defense of an insurance company in a civil action brought by the United States government alleging deceptive sales practices; and defense of an insurance company in a multidistrict federal class action regarding claims of fraud in the marketing of life insurance.

Financial Services
Mr. Erikson hasrepresented a number of financial services clients. Highlights include defense of:

• Major credit-reporting agency in various lawsuits brought both by consumers and merchants.
• Companies for alleged violation of fair debt collection practice laws.
• Global brokerage and investment-banking firm in several lawsuits against competitors relating to misuse of proprietary information.

Securities Law
Mr. Erikson has brought lawsuits against – as well as defended – broker-dealers, brokers and financial advisors, in civil actions and arbitrations involving securities and investment fraud. He has also defended corporations accused of misconduct relating to stock sales and options, and defended a national insurance company against a civil action brought by the federal government seeking to enjoin allegedly deceptive securities sales practices.

New Ventures
Erikson regularly helps new and emerging businesses get started on the right foot – from basic incorporation and set-up to industry-specific regulatory regimes. Start-up clients have included social networking and ecommerce sites, fashion lines, retailers, and even a treasure-hunting venture.