Kandis Koustenis is a Partner in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office who helps companies protect and strengthen their brands in the United States and around the world. Her practice brings together trademark and copyright counseling, brand strategy, commercial agreements, and dispute resolution, allowing her to advise clients with both their immediate legal needs and broader business goals in mind.
Kandis has spent her career helping businesses navigate the full lifecycle of brand protection. She works with clients to identify and manage risk, build strong intellectual property portfolios, and address infringement when it arises. Her experience includes both contested proceedings and litigation, as well as negotiating agreements that govern how intellectual property is used, shared, and commercialized. She takes a practical approach to resolving issues while keeping the long-term value of a client’s brand at the forefront.
Having worked both in private practice and in-house, Kandis understands intellectual property from the perspective of the businesses she advises. As global IP counsel for a major international retailer, she managed worldwide brand protection and enforcement and helped develop more efficient processes for overseeing a large global portfolio. That experience continues to shape her approach today, combining sophisticated IP strategy with a clear understanding of business operations, priorities, and risk.