Govinda M. Davis

Biography

An experienced intellectual property lawyer, Govinda focuses her practice on counseling clients on all aspects of trademark, copyright law, and entertainment law, including court litigation and inter partes administrative trademark proceedings (TTAB proceedings), domain disputes, trademark and copyright prosecution, music licensing, and entertainment industry agreements.

Her clients range from small business to large, international clients with intellectual property matters in the U.S. She combines creativity with goal-driven hard work, willingness to go above and beyond, and experience to enable clients to protect their trademarks, copyrights and brands to protect their valuable businesses assets.

Govinda’s experience includes management of a substantial trademark portfolio, which included hundreds of trademarks and licensing agreements for a large U.S. company with an international presence. She also regularly works with foreign associates and international clients to address their trademark needs in the U.S. and clients in the U.S. who seek trademark protection abroad. She counsels clients on a variety of topics including prosecution, trademark oppositions, enforcement and take downs and litigation.

She also has in-house secondment experience and provided on-site trademark, copyright, and licensing support for a U.S. affiliate of a top international automaker and assisted with the company’s global brand protection efforts.

As part of her prosecution practice, Govinda advises clients through all steps of the trademark application process in the United States and internationally, including selection of a trademark, identifying applicable goods and services, application strategies, and responding to substantive bars to registration.

Govinda is also experienced in conducting internet takedowns, implementing anti-counterfeiting strategies, and advising clients on advertising guidelines. Prior to joining Dinsmore, Govinda had experience in both large and small music companies and record labels and with media companies. She has represented musicians, authors and content creators in securing their copyrights, licensing their intellectual property and provided general counseling.

She began her career at a boutique IP firm in New York before joining Dinsmore. Govinda became interested in copyrights and entertainment law at a young age. This early research sparked her interest, which set her up naturally for a career helping others protect their assets and to foster creativity as well.

Govinda is a world-traveler who lived in Spain while studying abroad in college and still has a working knowledge of the language. She enjoys traveling and has been to parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa.

A natural leader, Govinda is a co-chair of Dinsmore’s Minority Attorney Affinity Group (MAAG) and also devotes time to mentoring students through the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity’s (LCLD) Law School Mentoring Program.

Education

  • Seton Hall University School of Law  (J.D., 2012)
    • Intellectual property concentration
  • Northeastern University  (B.A., 2007)
    • Political Science
    • Music Industry Minor

Bar Admissions

  • Ohio
  • New York
  • New Jersey

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan

Affiliations/Memberships

  • International Trademark Association (INTA)
  • Intellectual Property Owners Association
  • Cincinnati Bar Association – Cincinnati Academy of Leadership for Lawyers (CALL) Class 22
  • Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber
  • LCLD Law School Mentoring Program, mentor
  • Dinsmore's Minority Attorney Affinity Group (MAAG), co-chair
  • Black Women Business Owners of America, Board of Directors
  • WordPlay Cincy, trustee

Distinctions

  • Rising Star by YWCA of Greater Cincinnati (2018)
  • Pathfinder, Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) (2020)
  • Pro Bono Partnership of Ohio Rising Star (2022)
  • Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber WE Lead Women’s Leadership Program Class 17 (2022-2023)