Jessica Wood

Jessica Wood advises individuals and businesses on strategies to develop, protect and exploit their key brands, multimedia content, trade secrets and other proprietary IP interests. She was recently named the leader of Manatt’s IP enforcement team, and her practice spans a variety of industries, including technology, software, digital media, entertainment, fashion and apparel, automotive and more.

Wood handles a variety of issues for Eurostar Inc., a major manufacturer and retailer of footwear and apparel and the operator of more than 100 WSS stores throughout the United States. She and her team are charged with safeguarding the integrity of Eurostar’s brand and products, even as the company was acquired by sports apparel giant Foot Locker in a 2021 deal worth $750 million. The company continues to operate independently.

“We helped them with the diligence work for that deal, making sure their IP was ready to go,” she said. “Now, post-pandemic, they are experiencing a massive growth period, which is really exciting for them.”

The challenge, Wood said, is to help WSS maintain its identity as a community-focused brand as it expands nationally and internationally. The company started as a footwear retailer serving the urban working-class and underserved communities in Los Angeles, and “it is incredibly important to them to really connect and engage with the communities in which they have traditionally operated,” she said.

“We’re helping them look at where they’re heading, not just this year, but one year from now, five years from now, and going forward — looking at all those things and finding strategic and creative solutions to help them protect their brand.”

On the advising side, Wood has been fielding a lot of calls lately from clients about artificial intelligence, a technology affecting industries and clients across the board. She writes and speaks about the topic regularly and advises clients about best practices and the legal landscape surrounding AI.

“AI is coming so quickly, and there isn’t necessarily any framework for this. The challenge is, how do we minimize risk, develop safety measures, recognize and overcome potential biases that we’re seeing in the AI programs and platforms? At the same time, it’s helping clients figure out how they can actually utilize these tools and not be afraid of this new technology,” Wood said.

It helps that Manatt is a truly multidisciplinary, cross-industry practice, she added.

“Being able to reach out to other people in my firm having similar issues in their practice areas and other industries is the only way we’re able to respond and act so quickly.”

—Jennifer Chung Klam