Patrick McKey, Esq. concentrates his practice primarily on complex commercial litigation and international business disputes, as well as corporate counseling. For over 10 years, he has represented a range of clients in the fashion industry, including Bruno Magli, Coach, Dana Davis, Giuseppe Zanotti, Harajuku Lovers, Italian Ready to Wear (“IRTW”), Kid Robot, L.A.M.B., Oilily and Vicini. He has represented many of these clients in all aspects of their operations, from intellectual property and licensing issues to commercial litigation, contract negotiations, and import/export issues.
Mr. McKey is or has been lead counsel in prosecuting approximately 100 counterfeiting cases for Coach, and also in prosecuting Anti-Cybersquatting Protection Act (“ACPA”) cases against thousands of websites selling counterfeit Coach goods. He has also have provided counseling to his fashion clients regarding counterfeit enforcement and the prosecution and defense of copyright, trademark, and trade dress cases.
On behalf of his fashion clients, Mr. McKey has drafted and negotiated numerous licenses, including licenses involving client sales on QVC, the production of private/vanity labels for retailers, and the use of names and likenesses. He has also represented clients in prosecuting and enforcing licenses relating to the scope of licensed territories, including gray market litigation regarding the importation of proscribed products into non-licensed territory.
An experienced litigator, Mr. McKey has represented clients in numerous state, district and appellate courts throughout the United States, as well as representing domestic and foreign clients in matters pending before the London Court of International Arbitration, the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce, the American Arbitration Association, and other arbitral entities. Mr. McKey has also worked closely with clients – regularly as lead counsel – in the defense of United States class actions and multidistrict litigation, as well as the defense of claims for clients located in Australia, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Italy, Ireland, Libya, Korea, Japan, Poland, Switzerland, Syria, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
Mr. McKey has conducted internal investigations on behalf of clients and has counseled clients on the risks associated with potential litigation or regulatory action, and strategies for minimizing such risks. Mr. McKey regularly consults with foreign clients doing business and establishing operations in the United States and United States based corporations establishing operations abroad. He is also actively involved in counseling clients regarding regulatory compliance, product recalls and warranty issues.
Maria Vathis, Esq. has a broad range of experience defending corporate clients in complex business litigation matters, insurance coverage, and class actions involving alleged violations of federal statutes, including the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. Ms. Vathis has represented financial institutions, investment firms, law firms, brokers, attorneys and other professionals. She handles matters nationwide in federal and state courts.
Ms. Vathis also focuses her practice on consumer financial services litigation. She has experience representing financial institutions in complex business litigation matters both locally and nationally before state and federal trial and appellate courts. Ms. Vathis has defended financial institutions in a variety of cases, including matters alleging violations of the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FRCA), Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), as well as state unfair and deceptive acts or practices (UDAP) statutes and other consumer lending statutes and regulations, such as those promulgated by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
Ms. Vathis has monitored worldwide litigation for international insurers, which includes claims and litigation assessment and management of securities class actions and other complex civil litigation. Her practice also includes advising on risk management, policy language, evaluating existing insurance coverage, drafting insurance policies and analyzing insurance coverage under professional liability, cyber and first-party property insurance policies. In 2011, Ms. Vathis was seconded to a leading broker in the London insurance market where she advised on policy language and legal issues.