Trademark Registration and Portfolio Management

Marcus Webb advises on the strategic registration of trademarks in the United States and China, taking into account the differences in examination standards, opposition procedures, and classification systems between the two offices. He develops filing strategies that prioritise marks according to commercial importance and enforcement risk, manages the prosecution timeline to align with content release schedules, and coordinates with Chinese IP agents to ensure that office actions and third-party oppositions are addressed promptly.

His portfolio management services include trademark watching and monitoring for potentially conflicting applications, renewal management to prevent inadvertent lapses, and the preparation of evidence of use records needed to maintain US registrations. Marcus also advises on the use of the Madrid Protocol for international registration where a single filing in China or the US can serve as the basis for broader global protection.

Digital Enforcement and Anti-Counterfeiting

Digital piracy and trademark counterfeiting affect entertainment companies across all platforms. Marcus Webb helps clients identify unauthorised uses of their content and brands on Chinese e-commerce platforms, streaming services, and social media, and coordinates takedown actions through the platforms' notice-and-takedown procedures. For persistent infringers, he prepares evidence for administrative enforcement actions through Chinese market regulation authorities and supports civil litigation brought by Chinese counsel.

His anti-counterfeiting practice extends to physical merchandise sold through Chinese wholesale markets and online retailers. Marcus advises on the preparation of evidence for Customs recordation and seizure actions, coordinates test purchases and raid actions with Chinese investigators, and manages the chain of evidence documentation needed to support criminal referrals. He also advises on the use of blockchain and digital authentication technologies to create provable chains of custody for licensed products.

Los Angeles Practice Context

Based in Los Angeles at the centre of the global entertainment industry, Marcus Webb serves film studios, television production companies, music labels, and gaming companies that distribute content in both the US and China markets. His location provides direct access to the creative community and the business affairs teams that structure content acquisitions and licensing arrangements. Marcus maintains professional relationships with IP law firms in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen and can coordinate multi-jurisdictional enforcement strategies through a single point of contact.

Professional Standards

Marcus Webb is a member of the State Bar of California and admitted to practice before the US Patent and Trademark Office. IP matters are evaluated on the basis of clearance searching and likelihood of confusion analysis before filing recommendations are made. Fee arrangements are confirmed in engagement letters that specify the scope of work, filing cost estimates, and any third-party disbursements. Clients receive quarterly portfolio reports summarising registration status, upcoming deadlines, and enforcement actions taken.

Content Licensing and Distribution Agreements

Marcus Webb negotiates and drafts content licensing and distribution agreements for film, television, music, and gaming clients. He ensures that territorial rights, exclusivity provisions, revenue sharing mechanisms, and IP ownership clauses are clearly defined and enforceable across multiple jurisdictions. His practice includes the review and negotiation of output deals with Chinese streaming platforms, co-production agreements that allocate IP rights between US and Chinese production partners, and merchandising and ancillary rights licensing arrangements that extend brand value across product categories.

For clients entering the Chinese market through licensing arrangements, Marcus advises on the regulatory requirements that apply to foreign content, including the online content review and classification procedures administered by the National Radio and Television Administration, the quota restrictions that apply to foreign films and television series, and the censorship standards that may require content modification. He coordinates with Chinese legal counsel to ensure that licensing agreements comply with local regulatory requirements while protecting the client's IP rights and commercial interests.

Client Engagement Approach

Marcus Webb provides initial consultations that evaluate the client's existing IP portfolio and market expansion plans. Fee arrangements are structured as fixed fees for trademark filing programmes, capped fees for enforcement strategy development, and contingency or blended fee arrangements for anti-counterfeiting campaigns. Clients receive quarterly portfolio reports and are notified immediately of any enforcement opportunities or competitive threats identified through monitoring.