Profile
Mark G. Tratos is the founding Shareholder of the firm's Las Vegas office, home of the largest group of entertainment attorneys in Nevada. Previously, he was the Co-Founder of the firm of Quirk & Tratos.
Mark focuses his practice on a variety of entertainment, intellectual property and litigation matters. He represents artists and performers, resort, hotel and casino entities in federal court litigation involving trademark, copyrights, domain names, rights of publicity and privacy law for known casino brands. He represents many of the largest resorts in the world on brand development and protection strategies, enforcement and infringement litigation.
Mark has represented numerous artists and performers, including the estates of Orson Welles, Anthony Quinn; performers Teller, Ozzy Osbourne, David Copperfield, Val Valentino and The Masked Magician; visual artists Ronnie Cutrone, Deny Dent, Vladamir Kush, Tim Bavington and Peter Lik; and athletes including world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr and the widow of Jackie Robinson. In addition to the numerous artists and performers, Mark Tratos has most recently represented Disney, Pixar and Disney Stores in litigation.
In keeping with the firm's commitment to community involvement, Mark has been a member of the adjunct faculty of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for more than 25 years. Currently, he teaches Entertainment Law and Understanding & Drafting Entertainment Contracts at Lewis & Clark Law School. Mark is the author of the New York Bar Association's Entertainment Treatise, chapters on "The Evolution of Entertainment on the Internet," "The Evolution of Entertainment Production, Distribution, Ownership and Control in the Digital Age," and "Exhibitions: Art and Artifacts Exhibits as an Expansion of the Entertainment Industry." He is Past Chair for the Board of Trustees of the National Judicial College and is currently a Co-Chair for their 60th Anniversary Committee. Additionally, Mark is the Chairman of the Board of Visitors for Lewis & Clark Law School, and serves on the Board of Trustees of Lewis & Clark College. He serves as Director for the Board of the Smith Center for Performing Arts and was Chairman of the Center’s Board of Advisors, and co-founded and is a past president of The Discovery Children’s Museum in Las Vegas, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2022.
Concentrations
- Copyrights
- Trademarks
- Internet
- Rights of publicity and privacy law
- Licensing and content protection
- Art law
Capabilities
Experience
- Defended Disney, Pixar and Disney Stores in a right of publicity, unfair competition claim in the Federal District Court of Nevada and in the 9th Circuit.
- Represented visual artist Vladimir Kush in a copyright infringement claim regarding Ariana Grande’s music video God is a Woman.
- Defended Rachel Robinson, widow of baseball legend Jackie Robinson in a case involving bobbleheads and statues.
- Represented Peter Lik in the negotiation and completion of the sale of the world’s most expensive photograph, Peter Lik’s $6.5 million "Phantom."
- Enforced a pantomime copyright for Teller's famous shadows illusion.
- Defended champion boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a multimillion-dollar copyright infringement action involving his appearance on WWE's WrestleMania 24.
- Represented the 50,000 members of the National Hotel & Motel Association in collective bargaining negotiations with ASCAP and BMI.
- Represented New York-New York Hotel & Casino in federal court litigation with the New York Stock Exchange on trademark infringement, unfair competition and dissolution claims.
- Defended Monarch Casinos' common law rights of its Atlantis trademark for casino services against federal registered trademark.
- Represented Stratosphere Hotel in patent infringement litigation involving patents on player tracking systems.
- Represented numerous casino entities in federal court litigation against online casinos that have infringed upon trademark and domain names for unknown casino brands.
- Represented nine of the 12 largest resorts in the world on brand development and protection strategies, enforcement and infringement litigation.
- Represented Wynn Resorts and Steve Wynn in defeating copyright infringement claim regarding the design of the Wynn buildings.
- Represented night clubs, Studio 54 and XS, in brand litigation and entertainment matters.
- Domain name enforcement for Bellagio, Mirage, Treasure Island, MGM Grand, Wynn, Encore, New York New York, Golden Nugget and Steve Wynn.
- Represented the Grand Canyon Skywalk developer in litigation against the Hualapai Indian Tribe.
Recognition & Leadership
- Team Member, a Law360 “Media & Entertainment Practice Group of the Year,” 2022
- Listed, The Legal 500 United States, Commercial Litigation, 2015 and 2019
- Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Copyright Law; Litigation - Intellectual Property; Trademark Law, 2002-2024
- Named, "Lawyer of the Year," Copyright Law, Las Vegas, 2018, 2020, and 2024
- Named, "Lawyer of the Year," Litigation - Intellectual Property, Las Vegas, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2024
- Named, "Lawyer of the Year," Trademark Law, Las Vegas, 2013 and 2016
- Listed, Managing IP Magazine's World IP Handbook and Survey, "IP Stars: Las Vegas Copyright Stars and Trademark Stars," 2013-2023
- Listed, World Trademark Review, "WTR 1000," 2021-2024
- "WTR Global Leaders," 2021-2023
- Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Mountain States Super Lawyers, 2007-2021
- Listed, VEGAS INC, "Top Lawyers"
- Entertainment & Sports, 2013
- Intellectual Property, 2012
- Team Member, a Law360 “Hospitality Practice Group of the Year,” 2021
- Recognized, The Best Lawyers in America, "Lawyer of the Year," Intellectual Property Law and IP Litigation, 2012
- Team Member, a U.S. News - Best Lawyers® "Law Firm of the Year" in Entertainment Law - Music, 2011-2012
- Listed, Nevada Business magazine, "Legal Elite: The Silver State's Top Attorneys," 2010-2011
- Named, "Industry Leader of the Year," UNLV Department of Tourism and Conventions, 2001
- Named, "Southern Nevada's Most Influential Men," In Business Las Vegas, November, 2001
- Recipient, "Industry Leader of the Year," Department of Tourism, College of Hotel Administration, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 2001
- Listed, The Nevada Business Journal "Top Intellectual Property and Entertainment Lawyer in the State of Nevada," 1999
- Rated, AV Preeminent® 5.0 out of 5.0
- Chair, American Bar Association (ABA) Entertainment & Sports Lawyers
- Co-Chair, National Judicial College 60th Anniversary Committee
- Adjunct Faculty, Lewis & Clark Law School (2020-Present)
- Entertainment Law and Understanding
- Drafting Entertainment Contracts
- Adjunct Faculty, University of Nevada at Las Vegas, Boyd School of Law
- Cyber Law, Entertainment Law, Right of Publicity and Privacy Law, (2001-2005)
- Art Law II, 1991
- Entertainment Law, 1991
- Art Law, 1985
- Entertainment Law: Representing the Artist & Entertainer, 1980
- Secretary & Board Member, Smith Center for the Performing Arts, Board of Directors
- Chairman, Lewis & Clark Law School, Board of Visitors
- Chairman, Smith Center for the Performing Arts, Board of Advisors
- Co-Founder and Past President, The Discovery Children's Museum, Las Vegas, NV
- Former General Counsel and Board Member, Nevada Institute of Contemporary Art
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, Clark County, American and Federal Bar Associations
- Member, Nevada Intellectual Property Law Society
- Member, Nevada Trial Lawyers Association
- Member, State Bar of California
- Member, State Bar of Nevada
- Past Chairman, Entertainment Development Corporation, Board of Directors
- Past President and General Counsel, The Lied Discovery Children's Museum
- Trustee, Lewis and Clark College
- Vice Chairman, Board of Trustees
- Trustee, National Judicial College
- Vice Chairman, National Judicial College, Reno, NV, Board of Visitors, 2006
Credentials
-
J.D., Lewis & Clark Law School
- Staff Member, Lewis & Clark Law Review, Environmental Law, 1978-1979
- Editor-in-Chief, Lewis & Clark Law Forum, In Re, 1978-1979
- Member, Phi Alpha Delta
- Instructor, Lewis and Clark College, Legal Research and Writing, 1978-1979
- Member, Cornelius Law Honor Society, Environmental Law Review
- B.A., Political Science, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
- Nevada
- California
- Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California