Gregory A. Fayer

Fayer's role as lead counsel in high-profile entertainment and intellectual property cases has landed him in law school textbooks and legal practice guides. It's even put him head-to-head with the Kardashians.

Last year, he served as co-lead counsel representing By Lee Tillett Inc., creator of Kroma cosmetics, in a high-stakes trademark infringement case. His opponents were Boldface Licensing & Branding, Kourtney, Khloe and Kim Kardashian and related entities, and Fayer was asserting the Kardashians' Khroma cosmetics line infringes Tillett's prior registered Kroma mark and cosmetics line.

"It was intellectually challenging and stimulating," Fayer said.

He and his team won a preliminary injunction prohibiting the defendants from distributing the Khroma cosmetics line in March 2013, after finding that Tillett's business would likely be destroyed without an injunction. Boldface Licensing & Branding v. By Lee Tillett Inc., 12-10269 (C.D. Cal., filed Nov. 30, 2012).

Boldface appealed the ruling, but after a denial by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to stay the injunction, it voluntarily withdrew the appeal and stipulated to entry of a permanent injunction in August. Â

The case remains pending to determine whether the Kardashians are also liable for the infringement.

Fayer took an unconvential route into the world of intellectual property litigation. After graduating with a degree in philosophy, he had planned on being a rock star. When that didn't work out, he aimed for a path that would still leave him working within the realm of entertainment.

"I had interest in it coming in from an artist's standpoint," he said.

He says intellectual property is among the most valuable things a company can maintain, which is why he aims to help bring his clients' ideas to fruition.

"We see ourselves as trying to facilitate the creative process," he said.

- Sarah Parvini