GEOFFREY POTTER, Partner, Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler

Geoffrey Potter is a Partner and Chair of the firm’s Anti-Counterfeiting Practice and Brand Protection team. A highly-experienced trial lawyer, Mr. Potter litigates counterfeiting and product diversion cases on behalf of major corporations in multiple industries worldwide. These cases primarily involve counterfeit products with the potential to cause serious injury or death, including counterfeit medical devices, pharmaceuticals, nutritional supplements, beverages and other consumer, industrial and electronic products.

Mr. Potter also litigates to recover for fraudulent insurance claims, false pharmacy adjudications and fraudulently obtained discounts and rebates, and has successfully recovered tens of millions of dollars on behalf of pharmaceutical companies. In addition to this work, Mr. Potter also litigates cases for and against financial institutions and investment funds, as well as cases concerning accountant liability, defamation, consumer and shareholder class actions, unfair competition, copyright, breach of contract and fraud. He has also conducted numerous securities and employment arbitrations and internal investigations involving Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations, accounting improprieties and employee malfeasance.

In the anti-counterfeiting arena, he has successfully sued and executed seizure orders globally against hundreds of individuals and businesses that have manufactured and distributed counterfeits. This has resulted in the seizure and destruction of millions of counterfeits and the collection of millions of dollars in settlements and judgments. Repeatedly, Mr. Potter’s efforts have resulted in counterfeiters being incarcerated.

Outside of litigation, Mr. Potter counsels clients on integrated risk reduction solutions and best practices for avoiding counterfeiting problems. He advises on proactive methods to secure products and packaging against counterfeiters and on the development of programs to guard and monitor distribution channels.

Chambers USA named Mr. Potter a Leading Practitioner for Intellectual Property Litigation known for his work in “high-stakes brand protection disputes.” The guide calls him a “noted authority on anti-counterfeiting issues” and clients described him as “one of the most brilliant, innovative, creative attorneys I have had the pleasure of working with,” as well as “one of the smartest, most strategic thinking, aggressive lawyers… in IP." He is also praised for being “able to think outside the box” and for being “a lawyer who genuinely looks out for his client's best interests.” He is also listed as a “Litigation Star” for New York by Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC's Benchmark Litigation. Cited as an authority on anti-counterfeiting in more than a hundred articles, his recent quotes have been published in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, International Herald Tribune, Forbes, Bloomberg and Financial Times. He is also a frequent speaker and teacher at anti-counterfeiting conferences.

Admissions:
•   U.S. Supreme Court
•   U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit; Third Circuit; Seventh Circuit; Ninth Circuit; Federal Circuit
•   U.S. District Court, Southern, Eastern and Northern Districts of New York
•   U.S. Court of International Trade
•   New York
•   Colorado
•   District of Columbia
•   U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan

Professional Activities:
•   MEMBERSHIPS: New York State Bar Association; American Bar Association, Member, Intellectual Property Division; New York Civil Rights Coalition, Corporate Counsel and Member, Board of Advisors; EcoHealth Alliance, Board of Directors
•   HONORS: Recognized as a Leading Practitioner for Intellectual Property by Chambers USA; Listed in World Trademark Review 1000 - The World's Leading Trademark Professionals.

Education
•   New York University School of Law (J.D., 1988)
•   Cornell University (B.A., 1984)