Brett A. Manchel

Brett Manchel is an experienced intellectual property attorney skilled in advising clients on all aspects of brand and creative protection.  Brett advises domestic and international clients of all sizes on protecting and enforcing the valuable trademarks and copyrights which are integral to his clients’ success. In addition to trademark and copyright prosecution and IP portfolio management, Brett counsels clients on privacy matters, internet and marketing issues, licensing, and other new media questions that arise.

In particular, Brett prosecutes trademarks and responds to office actions before the US Patent and Trademark Office, maintains trademark registrations, and works with clients to protect their brands internationally. He develops strategies to ensure the longevity of brands and the critical goodwill that his clients have developed and invested in over time. Brett proudly assists those in innovative and developing fields understand and incorporate compliance with legal obligations, like the developing privacy frameworks required by GDPR (EU General Data Protection Regulation) and the CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act), and more established regulations like COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act), DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act), and the FTC Act for advertising.

Clients praise Brett for his thoughtful and thorough approach to strategizing and problem solving. His peers recognize this, as well, as Brett is honored to have been selected to the Super Lawyers Rising Star list every year since 2016.

Outside of work, Brett is a member of the associate board of the Chicago-based nonprofit Lawyers for the Creative Arts. He also chairs the Chicago Bar Association’s Intellectual Property Committee and Law Practice Management Committee.  This year, he was selected to be a member of the International Trademark Association’s Data Privacy Committee, where he engages with an international cohort of legal professionals on privacy issues around the globe and their impact on trademark law and practice.

Growing up in Michigan, and having attended college and law school there, it was the tall buildings, active music scene, and great restaurants that lured him to Chicago many years ago. Talk to him about cats, Glacier National Park, or nerdy music facts.