Melanie Howard's practice focuses on intellectual property law, including litigation, counseling and transactional matters in the areas of advertising, technology, new media and entertainment. She specializes in helping advertisers, entertainment companies and individual talent clients protect and exploit their branding, marketing and other intellectual property assets. Ms. Howard has extensive experience in licenses and assignments of IP rights, policing against counterfeits of brands and personalities, copyright and trademark infringement cases, and trade secret misappropriation cases. She also handles entertainment contractual disputes, false advertising and rights of publicity matters, along with a wide array of internet-related intellectual property disputes, including Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy proceedings.

Ms. Howard manages both domestic and international intellectual property portfolios related to a variety of individuals, products and services. In addition to implementing clearance, use and protection strategies, she regularly handles trademark filing, prosecution, registration and maintenance. She also oversees quality control of clients' licensed marks in advertising and marketing initiatives, including with respect to online and social media promotions.

In addition, Ms. Howard is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Pepperdine University, where she teaches courses in the areas of intellectual property and microfinance.