About

For more than 20 years, Stephanie Bald has represented clients in a wide range of trademark, copyright, false advertising, and unfair competition matters, with a focus on litigation, disputes, and strategic counseling. Experienced in all aspects of litigation, Stephanie has handled cases of all stages in federal courts across the country and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB). Stephanie also has significant expertise managing global trademark portfolios and enforcement programs, handling complex online enforcement and policing programs including disputes under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP), and advising clients on the selection, registration, use, and maintenance of trademarks and copyrights.

Stephanie has been consistently recognized as a top trademark lawyer nationally. She has been named to Managing Intellectual Property’s Top 250 Women in IP, ranked nationally by the World Trademark Review 1000, selected as a “WTR Global Leader,” and recognized as an “IP Star” by Managing Intellectual Property. Clients describe Stephanie as “a fierce advocate with a wealth of experience,” “perfect in the trusted advisor role,” “an invaluable part of her client’s internal teams,” “a jack of all trades who does a fabulous job in everything,” and someone clients can “always count on . . . to deliver a great result regardless of the issue.” Clients also praise Stephanie’s “creative mind,” “strategic vision,” “business-minded outlook,” and “top-notch” understanding of the law.

Stephanie was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to serve a three-year term as a member of the USPTO’s Trademark Public Advisory Committee (TPAC) (2018-2021). Stephanie also has long been active with the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), where she has served on AIPLA’s Board of Directors (2000-2023) and as the chair and vice chair of the Trademark Law and Trademark Litigation Committees (2012-2018). Stephanie has been a member of the Executive Committee of AIPLA’s Women and IP Committee since 2019. Since 2014, Stephanie has been an Adjunct Professor at American University’s Washington College of Law, where she teaches an advanced course on trademark practice and procedure.

Before co-founding Kelly IP, Stephanie practiced trademark law as an associate and partner at Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP in Washington, D.C.