Ms. Julie E. Hofer, Attorney

Julie E. Hofer is a partner at Donahue Gallagher Woods LLP, where she specializes in intellectual property law and general business litigation. Her emphasis is on copyright and trademark enforcement, including copyright and trademark infringement litigation and unfair competition litigation.

During her 21 years of practicing law, Ms. Hofer has had broad experience in commercial law and general business litigation. She has represented businesses ranging from small start-up companies to multi-national public companies. She has also provided general legal advice and handled various commercial disputes and business transactions for several financial institutions.

Since joining Donahue Gallagher in 1991, Ms. Hofer has represented national, regional and local software publishing companies in disputes relating to copyrights, trademarks, licensing agreements, and unfair competition. She also is involved in developing and supervising the firm’s anti-piracy programs for software companies and trade associations, including Autodesk, Inc., Wall Data Incorporated, NetManage, Inc., the Business Software Alliance, the Entertainment Software Alliance and the Software & Information Industry Association. Ms. Hofer also represents major retailers and other companies in trademark and unfair competition litigation. In addition, she handles proceedings on behalf of clients before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, the trademark tribunal of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Ms. Hofer has had extensive experience in negotiating resolutions of complex business and commercial disputes. She has handled hundreds of negotiations involving copyright infringement cases and trademark disputes. She is adept at identifying unique alternatives to resolve litigation to the satisfaction of her clients, avoiding the necessity of pursuing lawsuits through trial. She also has substantial courtroom experience.

Ms. Hofer was awarded her law degree cum laude by the University of Minnesota School of Law (J.D., 1982). During law school, she clerked for two years in the legal department of the Ninth District Federal Reserve Bank. She received her undergraduate degree with highest honors from South Dakota State University (B.A. with majors in English and Political Science, 1979).

Ms. Hofer is a member of the State Bar of California (Intellectual Property Law Section), Alaska Bar Association, American Bar Association (Intellectual Property Law Section), and Alameda County Bar Association (Intellectual Property Law Committee; Trial Litigation Section). She is active in the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and the International Justice Mission.
Along with several other partners of the firm, Ms. Hofer has been named a ""Super Lawyer"" by San Francisco Magazine, an honor bestowed on just 5% of the lawyers practicing in Northern California.

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