McGuireWoods was honored at the Managing IP Americas Awards 2025 for representing The Pennsylvania State University in a high-profile trademark infringement case. The awards ceremony was held in New York on April 24, 2025.
The “Impact Case of the Year” recognition highlights McGuireWoods’ pivotal role winning a federal jury verdict in The Pennsylvania State University v. Vintage Brand LLC, et al., a case with wide-ranging implications for intellectual property enforcement by colleges and universities. The jury in the case found that the defendants willfully infringed Penn State’s trademarks by selling unlicensed merchandise featuring images and names associated with the university. Jurors returned the verdict on Nov. 19, 2024, after a six-day trial in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
McGuireWoods partners David Finkelson and Lucy Jewett Wheatley, co-leaders of McGuireWoods’ Intellectual Property Practice Group, led the trial team representing Penn State. The trial team included counsel Claire Hagan Eller and associate Kyle Smith, with invaluable assistance provided by counsel Courtney Schorr, associate Jessica Maupin, and Richmond office managing partner Janet Peyton.
“This award is a testament to Penn State and its people, as well as to the strength of our IP litigation team and the strategic focus we bring to complicated trademark matters,” Finkelson said.
“We’re proud to be recognized by Managing IP for our commitment to protecting the valuable intellectual property rights of our clients,” Wheatley added.
The Managing IP Americas Awards recognize the most significant intellectual property achievements of the past year based on feedback from law firms, IP practitioners and their clients through interviews, email, and online surveys.
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