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A life-long South Florida resident, Steven is a co-founder of Peretz Chesal Herrmann, PL.  After graduating from Wesleyan University and the University of Chicago Law School, he has practiced intellectual property law in Miami for more than 35 years and has litigated such cases throughout the country.

He is Florida Bar Board Certified in Intellectual Property Law, has served as Chair of The Florida Bar’s Intellectual Property Law Committee, and frequently speaks before professional and business groups on intellectual property issues.

Steven has obtained several multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements for his clients in IP cases. He often recommends seeking emergency injunctive relief when availability since a favorable result often leads to the quick disposition of the entire case.

Outside the office

When not practicing law, Steven enjoys flying his TBM 910 to the Keys, the Bahamas and the Caribbean. He is an instrument-rated pilot with over 2100 hours of flight time and has written for Pilot Getaways Magazine. He gave up golf 15 years ago because he finds flying easier than hitting a 4-iron.

Steven successfully represented the firm’s clients in the following recent cases:

  • Hatzoloh, Incorporated v. Hatzalah of Palm Beach, Inc., 21-82092-CV, 2022 WL 730959 (S.D. Fla. Feb. 08, 2022)(Middlebrooks, J.)(Granting Plaintiff’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction for trademark infringement.)
  • Beyond Games Limited v. Galimidi, 20-23072-CIV, 2021 WL 4441407 (S.D. Fla. September 28, 2021)(Williams, J.)(Finding long-arm jurisdiction and awarding Plaintiff $100,000 in statutory damages and $27,673 in attorneys’ fees for domain name misappropriation.)
  • Florida International University Board of Trustees v. Florida National University, Inc., Supp. 13-CV-21604, 2019 WL 5260154 (S.D. Fla. August 28, 2019)(Williams, J.)(Awarding prevailing Defendant $1,158,934 in fees and costs under the Lanham Act’s “exceptional case” standard in a trademark infringement action.)
  • GhostBed, Inc. v. Casper Sleep, Inc., 0:15-CV-62571-WPD, 2018 WL 2213002 (S.D. Fla. May 03, 2018)(Dimitrouleas, J.)(Granting Defendant’s Motion for Partial Summary Judgment on Plaintiff’s false advertising claim under the Lanham Act.)
  • Florida International University Board of Trustees v. Florida National University, Inc., 830 F.3d 1242 2016 (11th Cir. 2016)(affirming district court order granting summary judgment in favor of Defendant on Plaintiff’s trademark infringement claim).
  • University of Chicago Law School, J.D., 1981
  • Wesleyan University, B.A., magna cum laude, 1978, with High Honors in Economics
  • Florida, 1981
  • U.S. District Court, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • Florida Bar Board Certified in Intellectual Property Law
  • Rated AV® Preeminent™ by Martindale-Hubbell
  • “The Best Lawyers in America,” Intellectual Property Law
  • Super Lawyer, Florida Super Lawyers magazine
  • Top Lawyers in South Florida, South Florida Legal Guide
  • Legal Elite, Florida Trend magazine
  • The Florida Bar Intellectual Property Law Committee, Chairman, 1987-89
  • International Trademark Association, Member, 1988-present
  • Local Rules Advisory Committee for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Member, 2004-2006
  • “Contributory Trademark Liability on the Internet,” presented at the Cyber Law Leadership Summit, Las Vegas, NV, December 2011
  • “Hidden IP Issues for the Business Attorney,” presented at The Florida Bar Business Law Section Retreat, September 2011
  • “The Road to Bilski: The Growing Trend of Supreme Court Decisions Hostile to Patent Owners,” panel presentation toThe Florida Bar Intellectual Property Law Committee, 2010
  • “Survey Evidence in Intellectual Property Law Cases,” presented at The Florida Bar First Annual IP Law Symposium, 2010
  • “Copyright and Fair Use,” lecture at Florida International University Law School, 2004
  • “Insurance Coverage for Intellectual Property Suits,” sponsored by The Florida Bar Intellectual Property Law Committee, 1996
  • “Copyright Infringement: Pretrial Strategies, Injunctions, Seizures, and Impoundments,” sponsored by The Florida Bar Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Sections, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, 1995
  • “Trademark Protection for Performance Groups,” sponsored by the Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Sections of the Florida, Georgia and Tennessee Bars, Curacao, Netherland Antilles, 1994
  • “The Three Dimensional Trademark: Protecting Product Appearance and Packaging,” sponsored by The Florida Bar Intellectual Property Law Committee, 1993
  • Program Chair and Lecturer, “Evidentiary Considerations in Trademark Litigation,” sponsored by The Florida Bar Intellectual Property Law Committee, 1992
  • The Competition of Technologies in the Marketplace of Ideas: Fair Use and Copyright, 5 International Review of Law and Economics 209, December, 1985, co-authored with Professor Richard Adelstein.

Case Studies

Steven successfully represented the firm’s clients in the following recent cases:

  • Hatzoloh, Incorporated v. Hatzalah of Palm Beach, Inc., 21-82092-CV, 2022 WL 730959 (S.D. Fla. Feb. 08, 2022)(Middlebrooks, J.)(Granting Plaintiff’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction for trademark infringement.)
  • Beyond Games Limited v. Galimidi, 20-23072-CIV, 2021 WL 4441407 (S.D. Fla. September 28, 2021)(Williams, J.)(Finding long-arm jurisdiction and awarding Plaintiff $100,000 in statutory damages and $27,673 in attorneys’ fees for domain name misappropriation.)
  • Florida International University Board of Trustees v. Florida National University, Inc., Supp. 13-CV-21604, 2019 WL 5260154 (S.D. Fla. August 28, 2019)(Williams, J.)(Awarding prevailing Defendant $1,158,934 in fees and costs under the Lanham Act’s “exceptional case” standard in a trademark infringement action.)
  • GhostBed, Inc. v. Casper Sleep, Inc., 0:15-CV-62571-WPD, 2018 WL 2213002 (S.D. Fla. May 03, 2018)(Dimitrouleas, J.)(Granting Defendant’s Motion for Partial Summary Judgment on Plaintiff’s false advertising claim under the Lanham Act.)
  • Florida International University Board of Trustees v. Florida National University, Inc., 830 F.3d 1242 2016 (11th Cir. 2016)(affirming district court order granting summary judgment in favor of Defendant on Plaintiff’s trademark infringement claim).

Education

  • University of Chicago Law School, J.D., 1981
  • Wesleyan University, B.A., magna cum laude, 1978, with High Honors in Economics

Bar Admissions & Memberships

  • Florida, 1981
  • U.S. District Court, Southern and Middle Districts of Florida
  • U.S. Supreme Court

Noteworthy

  • Florida Bar Board Certified in Intellectual Property Law
  • Rated AV® Preeminent™ by Martindale-Hubbell
  • “The Best Lawyers in America,” Intellectual Property Law
  • Super Lawyer, Florida Super Lawyers magazine
  • Top Lawyers in South Florida, South Florida Legal Guide
  • Legal Elite, Florida Trend magazine

Professional Affiliations

  • The Florida Bar Intellectual Property Law Committee, Chairman, 1987-89
  • International Trademark Association, Member, 1988-present
  • Local Rules Advisory Committee for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Member, 2004-2006

Presentations & Publications

  • “Contributory Trademark Liability on the Internet,” presented at the Cyber Law Leadership Summit, Las Vegas, NV, December 2011
  • “Hidden IP Issues for the Business Attorney,” presented at The Florida Bar Business Law Section Retreat, September 2011
  • “The Road to Bilski: The Growing Trend of Supreme Court Decisions Hostile to Patent Owners,” panel presentation toThe Florida Bar Intellectual Property Law Committee, 2010
  • “Survey Evidence in Intellectual Property Law Cases,” presented at The Florida Bar First Annual IP Law Symposium, 2010
  • “Copyright and Fair Use,” lecture at Florida International University Law School, 2004
  • “Insurance Coverage for Intellectual Property Suits,” sponsored by The Florida Bar Intellectual Property Law Committee, 1996
  • “Copyright Infringement: Pretrial Strategies, Injunctions, Seizures, and Impoundments,” sponsored by The Florida Bar Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Sections, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, 1995
  • “Trademark Protection for Performance Groups,” sponsored by the Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Sections of the Florida, Georgia and Tennessee Bars, Curacao, Netherland Antilles, 1994
  • “The Three Dimensional Trademark: Protecting Product Appearance and Packaging,” sponsored by The Florida Bar Intellectual Property Law Committee, 1993
  • Program Chair and Lecturer, “Evidentiary Considerations in Trademark Litigation,” sponsored by The Florida Bar Intellectual Property Law Committee, 1992
  • The Competition of Technologies in the Marketplace of Ideas: Fair Use and Copyright, 5 International Review of Law and Economics 209, December, 1985, co-authored with Professor Richard Adelstein.