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Susan N. Acquista

Susan N. Acquista

Of Counsel
San Diego
About

Susan Acquista helps clients implement and maintain strategies to protect their intellectual property, including trademarks, advertising campaigns, copyrights, patents, and trade secrets.

She has extensive experience litigating intellectual property disputes, including false advertising, trademark and trade dress infringement and dilution, patent infringement and validity, trade secret misappropriation, licensing, unfair competition, and copyright infringement. She has represented clients through all aspects of litigation, including discovery, trial and appeal, and in cases involving a broad spectrum of technologies and industries.  .

Susan also represents and advises clients on protecting their intellectual property by building a robust, defensible portfolio From the adoption of trademarks to the protection of them on a global basis, Susan’s practice includes both prosecution and enforcement. She also has significant experience reviewing ad copy, claims substantiation, endorsement and influencer deals, and advertising disputes, including before the National Advertising Division (NAD). Susan has experience in working with both mature and emerging companies on developing and strengthening brands in a wide variety of industries.

Areas of FocusLife SciencesIntellectual PropertyTechnologyAdvertising, Marketing and PromotionsTrademark and Copyright LitigationTrademark and Copyright Counseling, Strategy, Enforcement and ProsecutionAppellate
Bar admissionsCalifornia
CourtsUnited States District Court for the Central District of CaliforniaUnited States District Court for the Northern District of CaliforniaUnited States District Court for the Southern District of CaliforniaUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

EXPERIENCE

  • Won a complete trial victory in bet-the-company litigation for a nutritional supplements company accused of trademark infringement in a federal district court case. 
  • Secured a jury verdict of no patent infringement for a smartphone manufacturer in a in a federal district court case involving LTE technology. 
  • Won a complete victory on summary judgment for a medical device company in a federal district court case involving false advertising claims and counterclaims.
  • Obtained several favorable decisions in actions before the National Advertising Division (NAD) on behalf of both challengers and advertisers, including in appeals to the NARB and compliance inquiries initiated by NAD. 
  • Secured several favorable rulings from the Trademark Trial and Appeals Board (TTAB) on behalf of both petitioners and respondents.
  • Represented a nutritional supplements company in a California District Attorney investigation concerning alleged false advertising. Negotiated an extremely favorable prelitigation settlement with no penalties or damages.
  • Created and implemented terms, conditions, advertising guidelines, and compliance monitoring policies for client’s affiliate marketing program comprised of tens of thousands of social media influencers. 
Education
  • J.D., University of California, Davis School of Law 2007
  • B.A., Global Studies, with honors, University of California, Santa Barbara 2004
    Global Studies,with honors
    Spanish and Women Culture and Development minors

Civic and Charitable

Susan also volunteers her time with Voices for Children as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for children in the dependency court system. As a CASA, she strives to be a positive role model for children in the system by teaching them self-confidence, trust, and other developmental skills. She also supports children through their court proceedings by explaining the proceedings to the child, attending hearings with the child, and helping to "interpret" what is going to the child.  Her volunteer work also includes interviewing all parties involved with the child regarding the child’s circumstances and needs and communicating the child's needs to the court in written reports.

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+1 619 699 2723
(Work, San Diego)
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