Michael Santucci, Esq. has a well-established concentration in litigation, licensing, and prosecution of intellectual property including trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, patents, the arts and entertainment, celebrity name rights and rights of publicity, computer and e-commerce, business, corporate and other commercial matters as well as federal and state appeals. He also directly handles or supervises all copyright and trademark applications, renewals and maintenance filings, and Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“TTAB”) litigation for the firm.
Mr. Santucci was an original member of the litigation team with Johnnie Cochran and Willie E. Gary in the 2002 landmark case of All Pro Sports Camps, Inc. v. Walt Disney Company in which he helped obtain a record Two Hundred Forty Million Dollar ($240,000,000) verdict for his clients through two appeals and a thirty-one (31) day trial.
Michael Santucci was appointed, and currently serves, as the Chairman of the Intellectual Property Section of the Broward County Bar Association.
He has been quoted in TV, print and Internet media worldwide. His cases have been covered by United Press International, The Associated Press, The New York Times, BBC, CBS and NBC TV news, Rolling Stone, E! Entertainment and Entertainment Weekly. As a result of his representation, one of his clients was featured on the TV show “Celebrity Justice” and shortly thereafter obtained a recording contract.
Michael Santucci represented Miss Vermont in another highly-publicized internet-related First Amendment case which triggered an amicus curiae brief from the ACLU and was reported by the New York Times.
The entertainment-related litigation Mr. Santucci has handled has involved musical artists and companies such as Bob Marley, Jennifer Lopez, Chubby Checker, Disney, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, 50 Cent, Timbaland, The Game, Nelly, Universal Music, Universal Studios, Hewlett-Packard, Warner/Chappell and Warner Brothers.
Mr. Santucci has been the Legal Advisor to the South Florida Crime Commission, and an active board member of the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival. He is a proud parent, devoted husband and avid musician, songwriter, martial artist and organic food enthusiast. He regularly acts as a guest lecturer at various law schools, colleges and community, industry and Continuing Legal Education (“CLE”) events.
Michael Santucci is licensed to practice in Florida and before the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the Federal Circuit and has been admitted pro hac vice to various other courts, including Nevada, California and the Southern District of New York where he recently tried a case for the Ultra Music Festival. He also litigates before the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“TTAB”) on a regular basis.
