Jenifer C. Wallis

Jenifer C. Wallis is the chair of MWM’s entertainment practice and a member of the intellectual property group. She brings more than 18 years of legal experience to the firm and her unique practice positions her to represent clients in entertainment law and business litigation. In entertainment law, Jenifer leads a team of lawyers who represent individuals and entities involved in the entertainment industry, both domestically and internationally, including music, music publishing, theater, commercial and cable television, motion pictures, and more.  She also acts as general counsel to several production companies, negotiating with networks on their behalf, and drafting all necessary talent agreements, location agreements, production schedules, and other legal matters.

In business litigation, Jenifer has represented clients as the lead chair in trade secret, trademark, and copyright infringement lawsuits in state and federal courts. She routinely handles trademark and copyright infringement actions, and she serves as general counsel to large and small companies, advising them on IP portfolios and other matters.

Jenifer received her J.D. from Samford University, Cumberland School of Law where she was on the dean’s list and a member of the Trial and Advocacy Board. She holds an M.P.H. and B.A. in English from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Representative Matters

• Serve as general counsel to production company clients, handling all legal matters including business formation, analysis of intellectual property needs and formulating a plan of protection, drafting all necessary agreements including talent agreements, location agreements, production schedules, and negotiating with networks;
• First chair in numerous trade secret, trademark and copyright infringement lawsuits;
• First chair in complicated, multi-case intellectual property litigation involving coordination with state and federal cases;
• First chair in matters before TTAB and filings with USPTO and Copyright Office;
• Serve as general counsel to a number of large and small companies, advising on and managing intellectual property portfolios, marketing, and distribution;
• Handle trademark and copyright applications – from all phases of inception of a copyright/trademark, clearing of potential copyrights and trademarks, advising on potential copyrights and trademarks, walking copyrights and trademarks through the registration process, and maintenance of copyrights and trademarks once registered;
• Maintain clients’ intellectual property portfolios, including large retail and fashion clients – review and assess potential infringing third-party activities, send cease and desist letters and proceed with litigation as necessary;
• Draft and negotiate all contracts for corporate clients including marketing, distribution, licensing, and all business contracts;
• Develop and present training sessions to large corporate clients on best practices to avoid intellectual property infringement actions as necessary.

Education

Associations & Memberships

Chief, Founding Member – LA Chapter, 2019-Present

Provisors LA, Member, 2019-Present

Board of Directors, Charlie’s Acres, 2021

Honors & Awards

Leaders of Influence: Litigators & Trial Attorneys
Los Angeles Business Journal, 2022

Women of Influence: Attorneys
Los Angeles Business Journal, 2022-2023

Southern California Rising Stars
Thomson Reuters, 2021-2022

Top Women Attorneys
Los Angeles Business Journal, 2020

Bar Admissions

Alabama

California

United States District Court (All California Districts)