Track record : Sectors of activity for DLA Piper’s full-service, pan-national practice include hospitality, food, consumer goods, life sciences, electronics and financial services. Among its roster of high-profile clients are Philip Morris International, Dannon and Dr Seuss Enterprises. The department is very strong where trademarks overlap with franchising.

Differentiation : With its clients expanding internationally, DLA Piper is well-placed to adopt the cross-border mindset that trademark work increasingly demands. The prosecution practice is strong across the board, especially in its Chicago, Washington D.C. and California offices. Ann Ford and Keith Medansky are longstanding trademark experts.

Track record : Noted for its excellent value for money, the practice at Davis Wright Tremaine had another strong year, servicing a broad range of clients in the publishing, luxury apparel, outdoor-gear, technology, aviation and communications sectors, among others. The firm fields close to ten trademark prosecution partners, though is lighter on associates.

Differentiation : Davis Wright Tremaine’s well-integrated trademark prosecution team fields partners across four offices: New York, Seattle, Portland and Washington D.C. New York-based practice head Alexandra Nicholson has an excellent reputation; the Seattle-based Sheila Fox Morrison is also recommended, especially for work in food and beverages.