Taft Intellectual Property partners Philip Bautista, Kristine Boylan, Paul McGrady, Jonathan Polak, and Amy Wright have been named to the 2021 edition of World Trademark Review 1000: The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals, an annual list of the world’s top trademark firms and practitioners published by World Trademark Review (WTR) magazine. Bautista, Boylan, and Polak were recognized for the first time in 2021.

As a firm, Taft advanced to a gold ranking in Indiana and maintained its bronze ranking in Illinois. The IP group’s growth and expansion to Minnesota in 2020 with the Briggs and Morgan merger were recognized by WTR, which named Taft a “prime destination for trademark work” and a “highly efficient team.” View the full rankings here.

Bautista is listed as a “recommended expert” in Ohio and in the bronze band for individual practitioners. He is noted by WTR for his extensive litigation experience in the U.S. and other regions of the world, “resulting in a cosmopolitan outlook and an extensive tactical playbook.”

Boylan received a bronze ranking in the prosecution and strategy category in Minnesota. She is described by WTR as a “bright light of Minnesota’s trademark scene” for her plain-spoken, sensible, solutions-focused advice.

McGrady has been ranked by WTR for many years and maintained his gold ranking in Illinois in both the enforcement and litigation category and the prosecution and strategy category. He is also one of the few practitioners ranked nationally for his domain name/ICANN practice. WTR notes that McGrady “instantly propelled Taft into the premier league for domain name and ICANN work, for which he maintains a global reputation.” Clients say McGrady is “an absolute superstar. He has a curious mind and a great personality, which he applies dynamically for clients” and is “a go-to for all things brand related, he is an erudite all-round resource for brand owners to confer with.”

Polak is chair of Taft’s full-service Intellectual Property practice and is recognized in the silver band in Indiana. WTR describes Polak as “a polished IP and commercial litigator who has fought – and won – notable victories all over the country.”

Wright has been awarded a gold ranking in Indiana and is lauded for her “tenacity in dealing with infringers and for her finely honed advocacy and negotiation skills.” Further, WTR recognizes that Wright is “[e]xtraordinarily dedicated to her work…and has instilled a strong service ethos in the talent around her, which she does a wonderful job nurturing.”

The WTR 1000 is the only stand-alone publication that focuses exclusively on trademark practices and practitioners and identifies the leading players in more than 80 key jurisdictions. WTR undertakes exhaustive qualitative research for its rankings, using factors such as depth of experience and market presence, alongside peer and client feedback, to identify the top firms.