Ralph H. Cathcart

Ralph H. Cathcart is the lead partner of the Litigation Department at Ladas & Parry LLP’s New York Office.

Ralph represents clients in the maintenance, protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights, including copyrights, trademarks and patents. He has substantial Federal and State court litigation experience and extensive experience before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Over his career, he has litigated well over two hundred and fifty contested actions, proceedings or administrative appeals.

He also oversees national counterfeit and enforcement programs for clients and previously represented a luxury goods client in one of the largest seizures of counterfeit watches in U.S. history. Ralph has also been asked by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to train its agents in counterfeit detection.

In addition to providing opinion work on the adoption and selection of trademarks and copyrights, he advises clients on unfair competition, right to publicity/privacy, libel, advertising and First Amendment issues. A zealous advocate, Mr. Cathcart is particularly skillful at avoiding and/or resolving litigation for our firm’s clients. He listens to the needs of clients and utilizes steadfast determination, legal acumen, creativity and common sense in representing them. Mr. Cathcart’s varied client base includes clients from the fashion, jewelry and luxury goods industries, as well as wine companies, retail clothing stores, publishers, toy manufacturers, universities, not for profit health organizations, restaurants, national restaurant chains, telecommunications companies, defense contractors, medical, dental and household appliance manufacturers and paint, coatings and chemical and “high tech” manufacturers.

By way of example only, Ralph recently filed and successfully resolved a $10 million dollar Federal trademark infringement action on behalf of a Canadian company, successfully defended a manufacturer of bathroom/kitchen products against a federal District Court action, resolved a Cancellation action brought before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board by Bugatti International, resulting in a very favorable arrangement for the client, successfully defended a medical apparatus company against a well-known competitor and a defense contractor in separate Opposition proceedings, resolved disputes with the Recording Industry Association of America and various performing rights societies, successfully resolved a declaratory judgment action concerning the copyrights to the hugely popular UGLY DOLL® plush dolls, prevailed in an appeal concerning protection of a famous jewelry design and successfully represented Scientific American against a libel suit by “computer hackers”. He is also experienced in defending against claims by non-practicing entities (NPE’s) or so-called “patent trolls”.

Mr. Cathcart is also well versed in Entertainment Law, and has litigated entertainment law-related contract disputes against high profile celebrities and negotiated a favorable settlement against a cable television company based on copyright and trademark infringement. He has also drafted and negotiated numerous music recording agreements, production agreements, cable and TV agreements, website agreements, including terms of use and privacy agreements, publishing agreements, distribution agreements, management agreements, employment agreements and various trademark and copyright related licenses. Ralph has represented several gold and platinum selling recording artists, musical directors, managers, producers, actors and comedians.

Ralph has been appointed as an adjunct professor of law by Hofstra University’s Maurice A. Deane School of Law, where he teaches a trademarks law course. He is also an adjunct professor of law at Fordham University School of Law, where he teaches a copyright law course.

He received his B.A. in Philosophy and Sociology from the University of Pennsylvania and his J.D. from Hofstra University’s Maurice A. Deane School of Law, where he served on the Moot Court Board and was an articles editor for the Copyright and Entertainment Law Digest.

Ralph has been a regular contributing author to numerous IP publications and is often quoted in publications such as World Intellectual Property Review, Trademark Brands Online and others. He has frequently lectured on the topics of trademark, copyright and entertainment law both in the United States and abroad.

Aside from the practice of law, he is a published author, boxing historian and collector and past editor of www.boxrec.com. In his spare time he enjoys reading, working out, sports and travel.