FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
The model I have found best for IP matters, is to charge an initial flat fee of for a detailed hour-long consultation (This is the below our standard litigation hourly fee, as we are a full-service law firm) after the free intake consultation. Many clients have found that the paid consultation is worth it, since there are many strange and unique instances within this world, and sometimes there are actual answers (Can I use a photograph of a painting in a certain museum?) or sometimes I can explain the likelihood of various outcomes (What will happen if I ignore this copyright troll?) We do not always need to offer additional services: for example I always explain how to register a copyright by yourself. I also explain why you should never file a trademark by yourself.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
First want to make sure that our clients know they’re speaking with a real human attorney — myself or my partner. As the managing partner in the firm I try to speak with our clients directly to initiate contact; I even pick up incoming calls!! For efficiency, I may ask our staff to make the initial contact with you to schedule a phone or Zoom conversation for a mutually convenient time. I believe that there must be some initial free consultation and discussion, and then we figure out if there is something you need to hire us for (that’s not always the outcome), and then I explain the costs and the process, and then only if we decide to work together we will send an agreement and a payment link.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I’ve been practicing law for 20 years, starting with criminal defense, which makes me very comfortable in courtrooms and with people, but then switching to intellectual property litigation prior to going into private practice with a broader focus. My personal interests have always been in literature and publishing, music, as well as visual arts and Broadway — this explains my interest in intelectual property law. I do a fair amount of copyright, law, consulting, explaining in registry, trademarks, and even some music industry deals. Who else can really say they have been featured in a rap song by their client ?! (Eugene rhymes with dream) My practice has evolved into this area, as well as into working with small businesses and medical practices on various commercial issues. My partner Joshua Lurie has been a civil litigator, almost exclusively, his whole career, and has great experience in federal and state courts of NY, NJ, VT, and GA. He represents various-sized businesses in many types of commercial litigation and arbitration, as well as individuals in employment matters, such as wage & hour/overtime violations. My partner Nick Khalifeh focuses on real estate transactions, commercial and residential, as well as estate planning, by working with families on securing they assets by setting up trusts and writing wills. Nick also handles estate administration applications throughout New York City.