Alara Kucukseyhan is an associate in the firm’s Minneapolis office, where she focuses her practice on trademark and brand protection matters. She works with clients to develop, protect, and enforce their trademark rights in the United States and abroad. Alara previously worked with Merchant & Gould as both a summer associate and law clerk, giving her early experience with the firm’s intellectual property practice and clients.
Alara assists clients with a range of trademark matters throughout the lifecycle of a brand, including trademark clearance, prosecution, portfolio management, enforcement, and disputes. She helps clients secure trademark rights, respond to issues that arise during the registration process, and protect established brands against unauthorized third-party use. Her practice also includes assisting with trademark enforcement matters, including cease-and-desist efforts and proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Before entering law, Alara gained research experience in polymer chemistry and studied sustainable business solutions across a variety of industries. Her scientific training developed the analytical skills and attention to detail that she now brings to her intellectual property practice.