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Home - Merchant & Gould P.C.

The Merchant Copyright &amp; Entertainment Law Practice Group works to protect ownership of artistic and informative expression in whatever industry it is found.

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Our Copyright &amp; Entertainment Law Practice Group stands firmly behind the protection of your unique artistic and informational creations across multiple industries. Whether you're an author, musician, software developer, or creator of innovative internet applications, our skilled attorneys ensure that the full force of copyright protection is at your disposal.

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Unlock the Potential of Copyright Protection

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A copyright does not have to be registered to be valid, but obtaining a registration from the US Copyright Office is highly recommended in certain situations. Armed with formal copyright registration, you'll gain advantages should a copyright infringement occur or if litigation is required.

As a copyright owner, you'll exclusively enjoy the rights to:

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Transform your work (e.g., adapt a book into a movie)

Distribute copies to the public in various formats

Publicly perform or display your masterpiece

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One of the main reasons to secure your original work with a copyright is to obtain the legal right to license it. Licensing can yield considerable profits for creators. Our copyright attorneys at Merchant skillfully negotiate and draft licensing agreements for both technical and artistic materials.

Copyright enforcement rests solely upon the copyright owner, with no government agencies enforcing copyright law. Our team collaborates closely with clients to devise a customized, long-term copyright protection strategy that addresses potential sources of infringement.

In the event of copyright infringement, our litigation team is fully equipped to vigorously protect your rights as a copyright holder. Furthermore, we are adept at providing a robust defense for clients facing allegations of copyright infringement.

Minneapolis

Partner

Gregory C. Golla

Thomas R. Johnson

New York

Associate

Lindsay Jones

Heather J. Kliebenstein

Thomas  J. Leach

Denver

George C. Lewis, P.E.

Brent E. Routman

William D. Schultz

Gregory  A. Sebald

Knoxville

Partner & Chief Diversity Officer

John T. Winemiller, Ph.D.

Anthony  R. Zeuli

Elizabeth Harwood Pierce

Marra M. Clay

Merchant &amp; Gould was ranked in five National Tier and six Metropolitan categories in the 2022 edition of U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms,” recognized for professional excellence with consistently impressive ratings from clients and peers.



Achieving a high ranking is a special distinction that marks a unique combination of excellence and breadth of experience. Ranked firms, presented in three tiers, are recognized on a national and regional-based scale. Firms that received a tier designation reflect the highest level of respect a firm can earn among other leading lawyers and clients from the same communities and practice areas. Merchant &amp; Gould ranked in the following National and Metropolitan categories:



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">National Tier 1</h2>



Patent Law



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">National Tier 2</h2>



Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property Litigation &#8211; Patent



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">National Tier 3</h2>



Copyright Law Trademark Law



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Metropolitan Tier 1 &#8212; Minneapolis</h2>



Copyright Law Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property Litigation &#8211; Patent Patent Law Trademark Law



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Metropolitan Tier 3 – Atlanta</h2>



Patent Law



To be eligible for a ranking, a firm must first have a lawyer recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®, which recognizes 6 percent of lawyers practicing in the United States, and also receive consensus on some of the following factors: firm-wide work, the size and coverage of a firm in a specific area, historical analysis, research surrounding the firm’s overall scope and areas of expertise.



The 2022 rankings incorporate more than 8.2 million evaluations of more than 115,000 individual leading lawyers from more than 22,000 firms. More than 2,000 firms received a national law firm ranking this year.

Merchant & Gould Recognized on U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” List with Rankings in 11 National and Metropolitan Categories

Merchant &amp; Gould is pleased to announce that the following attorneys have been included in&nbsp;The Best Lawyers in America©&nbsp;2025.



Best Lawyers compiles lists of outstanding attorneys by conducting peer-reviewed surveys in which lawyers confidentially evaluate their colleagues. Since lawyers are not permitted to purchase their rankings or pay a fee to participate, a Best Lawyers listing is considered an unbiased honor.



Atlanta, GA



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Jeffrey D. Blake 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Patent Law</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>



Minneapolis, MN



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>John A. Clifford 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Advertising Law</li>



<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>



<li>Patent Law</li>



<li>Trademark Law</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Andrew S. Ehard 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>



<li>Trademark Law</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Thomas R. Johnson 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Advertising Law</li>



<li>Litigation &#8211; Patent</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Scott W. Johnston 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>



<li>Trademark Law</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Heather J. Kliebenstein 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Thomas J. Leach 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Brent E. Routman 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Advertising Law</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Christopher J. Schulte 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>



<li>Litigation &#8211; Patent</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>William D. Schultz 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Christopher J. Sorenson 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>



<li>Litigation &#8211; Patent</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Anthony R. Zeuli 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Copyright Law</li>



<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>



<li>Litigation &#8211; Patent</li>



<li>Patent Law</li>



<li>Trademark Law</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Rachel Zimmerman Scobie 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>



New York, NY



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Peter A. Gergely 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>



<li>Litigation &#8211; Patent</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>



Alexandria, VA



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>John S. Kern 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation &#8211; Patent</li>



<li>Patent Law</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Daniel J. Pereira 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice</li>



<li>Patent Law</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Eric W. Schweibenz 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Patent Law</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

Merchant & Gould Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers® in 2025 in America.

Merchant &amp; Gould is pleased to announce that the following attorneys have been included in&nbsp;The Best Lawyers in America©&nbsp;2022.



Best Lawyers&nbsp;compiles lists of outstanding attorneys by conducting peer-reviewed surveys in which lawyers confidentially evaluate their colleagues. Since lawyers are not permitted to purchase their rankings or pay a fee to participate, a&nbsp;Best Lawyers&nbsp;listing is considered an unbiased honor.



Atlanta, GA



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Jeffery D. Blake
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Patent Law</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>



Minneapolis, MN



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>John A. Clifford
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation- Intellectual Property</li>



<li>Patent Law</li>



<li>Trademark Law</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Andrew S. Ehard
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation- Intellectual Property</li>



<li>Trademark Law</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Scott W. Johnston


<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation- Intellectual Property, </li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Trademark Law</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Heather J Kliebenstein
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation- Intellectual Property </li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Thomas J. Leach
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation- Intellectual Property</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Brent E. Routman
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Advertising Law</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Christopher J. Schulte
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>



<li>Litigation &#8211; Patent</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>William D. Schultz
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Christopher J. Sorenson
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>



<li>Litigation &#8211; Patent</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Anthony R. Zeuli
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Copyright Law</li>



<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>



<li>Litigation &#8211; Patent</li>



<li>Patent Law</li>



<li>Trademark Law</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Rachel Zimmerman Scobie
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>



New York, NY



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Peter A. Gergely
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>



<li>Litigation &#8211; Patent</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

Merchant & Gould Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers® in 2022 in America.

Merchant &amp; Gould is pleased to announce that the following attorneys have been included in The Best Lawyers in America© 2023.



Best Lawyers&nbsp;compiles lists of outstanding attorneys by conducting peer-reviewed surveys in which lawyers confidentially evaluate their colleagues. Since lawyers are not permitted to purchase their rankings or pay a fee to participate, a&nbsp;Best Lawyers&nbsp;listing is considered an unbiased honor.



Atlanta, GA



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Jeffery D. Blake
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Patent Law</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>



Minneapolis, MN



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>John A. Clifford
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation- Intellectual Property</li>



<li>Patent Law</li>



<li>Trademark Law</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Andrew S. Ehard
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation- Intellectual Property</li>



<li>Trademark Law</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Scott W. Johnston




<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation- Intellectual Property, </li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Trademark Law</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Heather J Kliebenstein
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation- Intellectual Property </li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Thomas J. Leach
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation- Intellectual Property</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Brent E. Routman
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Advertising Law</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Christopher J. Schulte
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>



<li>Litigation &#8211; Patent</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>William D. Schultz
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Christopher J. Sorenson
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>



<li>Litigation &#8211; Patent</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Anthony R. Zeuli
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Copyright Law</li>



<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>



<li>Litigation &#8211; Patent</li>



<li>Patent Law</li>



<li>Trademark Law</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Rachel Zimmerman Scobie
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>



New York, NY



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Peter A. Gergely
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>



<li>Litigation &#8211; Patent</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

Merchant & Gould Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers® in 2023 in America.

Merchant &amp; Gould is pleased to announce that the following attorneys have been included in&nbsp;The Best Lawyers in America©&nbsp;2024.



Best Lawyers&nbsp;compiles lists of outstanding attorneys by conducting peer-reviewed surveys in which lawyers confidentially evaluate their colleagues. Since lawyers are not permitted to purchase their rankings or pay a fee to participate, a&nbsp;Best Lawyers&nbsp;listing is considered an unbiased honor.



Atlanta, GA



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Jeffery D. Blake
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Patent Law</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>



Minneapolis, MN



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>John A. Clifford
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation- Intellectual Property</li>



<li>Patent Law</li>



<li>Trademark Law</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Andrew S. Ehard
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation- Intellectual Property</li>



<li>Trademark Law</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Scott W. Johnston






<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation- Intellectual Property, </li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Trademark Law</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Thomas R. Johnson
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Advertising Law</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Heather J Kliebenstein
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation- Intellectual Property </li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Thomas J. Leach
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation- Intellectual Property</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Brent E. Routman
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Advertising Law</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Christopher J. Schulte
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>



<li>Litigation &#8211; Patent</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>William D. Schultz
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Christopher J. Sorenson
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>



<li>Litigation &#8211; Patent</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Anthony R. Zeuli
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Copyright Law</li>



<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>



<li>Litigation &#8211; Patent</li>



<li>Patent Law</li>



<li>Trademark Law</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Rachel Zimmerman Scobie
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>



New York, NY



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Peter A. Gergely
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Litigation &#8211; Intellectual Property</li>



<li>Litigation &#8211; Patent</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

Copyright

Group Chair

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