Dale Cendali

Dale Cendali is a nationally recognized first-chair trial lawyer who has won high-profile jury trials and argued and won appeals before the U.S. Supreme Court. Recognized as a “lauded litigator” with a “great presence in the courtroom,” Dale is praised by clients as an “amazing powerhouse” and “a force of nature” who “walks in with a lot of gravitas” (Chambers). Clients also say that she is “simultaneously creative, thoughtful, practical, and aggressive” (Legal 500). In addition, they note that Dale is a “super-powered lawyer who achieves resolutions and successes that seem impossible” (WTR).

Dale’s noteworthy cases span copyright, trademark, false advertising and trade secrets litigation for high-profile global brands, including PepsiCo, Nike, Converse, Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works, among numerous others. Thanks to Dale’s many litigation successes, she is recognized as one of the “100 Most Influential Lawyers in America,” one of “America’s Top 50 Women Litigators,” one of the “50 Most Influential Women Lawyers in America,” and one of “The Most Influential Lawyers” for media and entertainment (National Law Journal). She is one of the “20 Most Influential Women in IP Law” and one of the 25 “Icons of IP,” who have “made an indelible mark on the IP area” (Law360). Dale is also an IAM “IP Hall of Fame” inductee.

A recognized authority in IP, Dale is a long-time adjunct professor at Harvard Law School, teaching copyright and trademark litigation. In 2024, Dale delivered the prestigious Horace S. Manges Lecture at Columbia Law School.

Dale has received singular acclaim for her leadership and achievements in the intellectual property bar, including:

• The Legal 500 U.S. recognized Dale as a “Hall of Fame” attorney in the areas of copyright, trademark litigation and trade secrets. They also recognized Dale as a “leading lawyer” for media and entertainment litigation, and they recognized her for non-contentious trademark work. They report that Dale is a “world class litigator” whose “reputation and expertise are unparalleled.”
• Managing IP selected Dale as one of the six “Outstanding IP Practitioners” in the United States, and named her trial victory for J.K. Rowling on the high-profile “Lexicon” fair use case as the “Copyright Trial of the Year.” She was named “Outstanding Litigator: New York” at Managing IP’s 2017 North America Awards. She has been selected as Litigation – Intellectual Property “Lawyer of the Year” and she is repeatedly listed in the “IP Stars” guide, where she was also named one of the “Top 10 Women in IP.”
• Recognized in the top tier every year by World Trademark Review, Dale has been named a “Trademark Experts’ Expert” and is noted as “the best trademark litigator in the country.”
• Chambers Global and Chambers USA have repeatedly ranked Dale as a “top tier” lawyer, describing her as “one of the most famous lawyers in the history of intellectual property law.” Dale is commended for “always thinking ten steps ahead” and for her “great presence in the courtroom.” Clients report that she is “a strategic master,” “a phenomenal talent,” “a rockstar” and “an oracle.”
• In 2024, The American Lawyer named Dale “Litigator of the Week” for her copyright jury trial win involving the copyrightability and fair use of tattoos. She was also previously named “Litigator of the Week” for same-day wins in the Second and Ninth Circuits.
• Noted as a “go-to attorney for cutting-edge issues in the gaming space,” Dale has been recognized as one of “New York’s Top 25 Entertainment Attorneys” and as one of “Hollywood’s Top 100 Attorneys” by The Hollywood Reporter.
• Dale’s work for iconic entertainment brands such as the “Harry Potter” series and sitcom “Modern Family” earned Dale “Media and Entertainment MVP” from Law360.
• New York Law Journal named Dale a “Distinguished Leader” at its New York Legal Awards, where Kirkland was also named “IP Department of the Year.”
• Dale has been named one of Benchmark Litigation’s “Top 250 Women in Litigation” every year since the list’s inception in 2012.

Dale has long been active in the bar. INTA elected Dale to serve as Counsel, the highest-ranking position in the organization for an outside counsel. She has also chaired INTA’s Dilution, Enforcement and Copyright committees. Dale is also Chair of the ABA IP Sections Amicus Committee, having previously served several terms on Council. Among many other positions in the bar, Dale is also the former Chair of the IP Council of the Association of the City Bar of New York, as well as the Chair of the Trademarks and Unfair Competition Committee. In 2015 Dale was selected as an Adviser for The American Law Institute’s project, Restatement of the Law of Copyright, the work of which is ongoing.