Staci Jennifer Riordan

Partner

Staci is the Chair of the Fox Rothschild Fashion Law Practice Group. As a fashion lawyer, Staci's practice focuses on both transactional and litigation issues faced by the fashion community, be it fashion licensing, copyright, trademark and business litigation or digital media, social commerce and geo location, business agreements, strategic planning and client counseling.

In her commercial and intellectual property litigation practice, Staci has deep experience in both federal and state court with matters including:

• trademark and copyright infringement
• cyber-piracy
• fraud
• unfair competition and unfair business practices
• trade secrets
• rights of privacy and publicity
• breach of contract
• real property disputes

A graduate of Loyola Law School, Staci has returned to her alma matter to teach the university’s first ever Fashion Law course. The program is the first on the West Coast to focus solely on the legal matters affecting the fashion industry. It is aimed at helping prepare law students to enter the job market with a more concentrated path of focus. Along with teaching the course, Staci is helping to design the school’s fashion law designation certificate program.

A former apparel industry executive, Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising professor and descendant of a long line of garment makers, Staci has the knowledge to help brands succeed. She regularly counsels clients on the creation, use and exploitation of creative content while developing strategic growth plans aimed at brand cultivation. Staci understands the importance of building and sustaining a brand in the fashion industry, and as such, formulates business opportunities that enable her clients to define, manage and expand their brands via traditional media such as television, film and celebrity endorsement.

As fashion and entertainment law go hand in hand, Staci also works with the firm’s entertainment group to counsel industry professionals on ways to engage their audiences by developing multiple streams of revenue in areas such as fashion, digital media, licensing, sponsorship and merchandising.

In an industry as competitive as fashion and entertainment, there is no substitute for experience, involvement and commitment. Staci regularly speaks and writes on issues affecting fashion businesses.

Fourth Generation Fashion: A Profile in Experience

Before Fox Rothschild

Prior to joining the firm, Staci was an associate and Fashion Law Practice Group Chair at Thelen LLP in Los Angeles. While in law school, Staci worked in the legal department at Guess?, Inc., externed for California Appellate Court Justice Fred Woods and was the Senior Note & Comment Editor for the Loyola International and Comparative Law Review.

Prior to entering the field of law, Staci was a hands-on apparel industry executive, consultant and professor, and has extensive manufacturing, retail and importing/exporting expertise.

Representative Matters

Staci's recent matters include:

• Representation in a copyright infringement case involving fabric designs 
• Representation of a licensor in a direct-to-retail licensing deal with a major specialty retailer
• Representation of a celebrity in a hybrid licensing/endorsement deal that utilized social commerce and geo location
• Representation of partners in negotiations and forming a new fashion business 
• Representation of a celebrity seeking both financing and a partner to start a branded clothing line 
• Representation of a licensor in a fashion licensing agreement to create a diffusion line 
• Representation of a brand owner in a trademark infringement and cyberpiracy case
• Representation of a major international fashion retailer in establishing its U.S. operations, including drafting employee handbooks, negotiating and drafting marketing, advertisement and promotion agreements as well as hiring talent to endorse its brand; currently facilitating its first U.S. benefit concert
• Representation of the fastest growing accessory retailer in establishing its own entertainment division, and forming its own record label as well as event production work for a branded event including securing talent, venue and sponsorship
• Representation of a publically traded company in launching a fashion brand using its internationally known trademarks and reputation 
  
  

Client Resources

Fashion Law Blog
Staci shares her knowledge of the business issues faced by the fashion industry, including planning, licensing, trademark and copyright infringement, the Design Piracy Prohibition Act, employee issues and much more, in the firm's Fashion Law blog (http://fashionlaw.foxrothschild.com/).

Podcasts

Building a Fashion Law Practice

Mid-day Extra: Christian Louboutin battles YSL for its soles 

Practical Advice (pdf files)

Are You Fit to License?

Can "Fashion" Be Copyrighted? Why (and How) You Should Copyright Your Work

Fabric Copyright Infringement Claims on the Rise: Why Manufacturers Must Eradicate the Urban Legend of the "30% Rule"