Description of field of expertise

Randall provides practical legal guidance on issues and transactions involving company and third-party branding and marketing.  At HP, Randall protects thousands of corporate trademarks worldwide, helping to maintain the company’s brand reputation as a technology leader.  He supports business, marketing, legal, and corporate functional teams with naming, marketing, licensing and developing PCs, hardware, software and services.  Randall prosecutes, enforces and defends HP trademarks through administrative agencies and tribunal proceedings.  He protects HP copyright by conducting takedowns of infringing materials online and on social media, as well as cease and desist letters, litigation support, and more.  Randall helps prevent the unlicensed use of HP’s brand in the unauthorized sale of HP products.  He also assists customer support teams with preventing phony IT services that take advantage of unsuspecting consumers. 

As a skilled negotiator, Randall has secured HP sponsorships and partnerships with athletes, NASCAR and Formula 1 teams, digital art ambassadors, gamers and influencers.  Randall advocates for the company’s responsible use of generative AI, counseling product and marketing teams on the legal implications of such use.  He offers creative solutions for the sale and promotion of technology under FTC and state advertising and consumer protection laws on automatic subscription renewals, “free” and “trial” promotions, and varying state and international rules for contests and sweepstakes.

Randall supports the recruitment and retention of Black lawyers.  He helps lead HP’s diverse 1L summer associate program and is actively involved with choosing and mentoring students.  Randall serves on the diversity outreach subcommittee of Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO), advocating for diverse student interest in intellectual property law careers.  Randall is a member of HP’s Black employee business resource group, recently serving as communication chair. 

Before joining HP in 2019, Randall was a trademark associate at Fenwick & West LLP and, before Fenwick, an IP and litigation associate at Fox Rothschild LLP. 

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What advice would you offer to new attorneys interested in your field?

Generally, aspiring lawyers should recognize that they can write their own stories, chart their own paths, and forge their own legal careers.  Moving from one legal field to another or starting a completely new practice at a firm or law office is common, and sometimes encouraged, depending on the organization.  Young attorneys shouldn’t be afraid to voice their desire to transition to an interesting or novel area of the law early on.

For IP law and trademark law specifically, a technical or science background isn’t required.  What’s helpful is thinking about trademark law practice in law school and how you can start that type of work as a student, either via internship, law school clinic, pro bono, or other means.  Having relationships with professors, lawyers, legal professionals and other mentors/sponsors is invaluable, especially those familiar with IP law.