Vinita Ferrera focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation, with an emphasis on intellectual property disputes, including patent, trademark, trade dress, copyright and trade secret claims. She has litigated cases involving a variety of industries, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, consumer products, computer hardware and software, financial services and electronic commerce. Her practice has encompassed all facets of litigation, including discovery, trials, injunction proceedings, appeals, settlement, and alternative dispute resolution, before federal and state courts, as well as administrative agencies including the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.

In 1999, Ms. Ferrera served as a special assistant district attorney in the Middlesex County District Attorney's Office, where she prosecuted a variety of criminal cases for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Ms. Ferrera is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the state of New York, and before the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, the United States District Court for the District of Colorado, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Professional Activities

Ms. Ferrera is a member of the Board of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice. She is also a member of the Boston Bar Association, the American Bar Association and the American Intellectual Property Law Association.

Experience

    • Successfully tried a patent case for a small biotechnology company accused of infringement by its larger competitor
    • Obtained a defense jury verdict for a provider of cloud-based collaboration solutions in a patent infringement case
    • Successfully represented a large automobile manufacturer in several arbitrations arising from the manufacturer’s termination of dealers during bankruptcy
    • Represented a large financial services company in prosecuting claims of breach of non-competition and non-disclosure covenants and theft of trade secrets arising out of the “lift-out” by a competitor of a team of asset managers
    • Obtained a jury verdict of trade dress validity and infringement for a Japanese manufacturer involving the unique design of its engine
    • Represented an online health marketing company in asserting claims of copyright infringement, misappropriation of trade secrets and breach of fiduciary duty arising out of an employee’s misconduct
    • Successfully defended a semiconductor company against allegations of patent infringement involving video-compression technology
    • Obtained a jury/bench verdict in a trademark case for a major paper manufacturer involving its distinctive mottled design for notebook covers 
    • Successfully tried a trademark case for a large financial institution involving competing claims to a trademark used by both parties for over a century
    • Obtained summary judgment in favor of an Internet company in a case involving novel trademark and copyright issues arising from online advertising practices
    • Represented numerous pharmaceutical companies in ANDA-related patent litigation

Recognition

  • Honored as a 2024 Woman Worth Watching in STEM by Diversity Journal.
  • Named a Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyer – independently rated and selected by clients.
  • Selected by peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America for commercial litigation (2023–2024) and intellectual property litigation (2024)
  • Recognized as a Massachusetts Super Lawyer in 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2014–2024, and named among the "Top Women Attorneys in Massachusetts" in 2016 and 2017.
  • Named to Boston Magazine's Top Lawyers list in 2021–2023 in the area of civil litigation/defense.
  • Named to the Boston Business Journal's 2008 "40 under 40" list, which profiles 40 rising stars within Massachusetts' innovative business and nonprofit communities.
  • Named a Massachusetts Super Lawyers Rising Star in intellectual property litigation in 2005 and 2006.

Insights & News

Credentials

  • Education

    • JD, New York University School of Law, 1995

      cum laude Member, National Moot Court Competition Team; Order of Barristers
    • BA, University of Colorado, 1992

      magna cum laude
  • Admissions

    • Massachusetts

    • New York

  • Government Experience

    • State and Local Government

      Special Assistant District Attorney, Middlesex County, Massachusetts

Credentials

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