Neal Gerber Launches Social Media Group

CHICAGO, July 24, 2013 – Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP is pleased to announce the formation of its Advertising, Marketing and Social Media Group. Led by partner Christopher D. Mickus, the group employs a multi-disciplinary approach to advise clients regarding the creation, development, and protection of brands, advertising creative and campaigns, as well as companies’ online social media presence. Clients with needs in these areas will be served by attorneys from across Neal Gerber Eisenberg’s practices, including Corporate and Securities, General and Commercial Litigation, Labor and Employment, and Intellectual Property and Technology Transactions.

“While traditional advertising has long demanded the need for sound legal guidance to protect a company’s brand and image, the rise of social media and online marketing campaigns requires strategic counsel and a multifaceted approach to preserving the integrity of our clients’ brands, campaigns and online reputations,” explained Mickus. “The formalization of this team allows us to expand the work we are already doing in this arena, but also improves our ability to serve clients with true ‘advertising law’ needs, versus tilting existing practices like many law firms do.” 

Neal Gerber Eisenberg counsels companies with regard to advertising issues in highly-regulated industries, including financial services, consumer and business credit, food and beverage, consumer products, and global retail in connection with digital, print and traditional advertising. Attorneys in the Advertising, Marketing and Social Media Group provide guidance on the ownership of concepts, marks and other intellectual property, the substantiation of advertising claims, the use of testimonials, as well as industry-specific claims and representations featured in companies’ advertising and marketing materials.

The firm also advises clients with respect to monitoring and protecting competitive business analytics and intelligence tools and data used in developing marketing initiatives. The group works with clients to develop appropriate data safeguards and privacy standards for handing sensitive customer information and business data.

Regarding social media usage by companies, the firm advises clients regarding the legal issues associated with promoting business objectives online, as well as the improper use of social media by employees and others who may not share those same objectives.

Neal Gerber Eisenberg’s Advertising, Marketing and Social Media Group also includes seasoned litigators who provide counsel in connection with litigation and dispute resolution matters and with regulators regarding clients’ intellectual property; insurance recovery efforts under general, media, professional and other liability policies; and defending against claims related to improper use of social media by employees and other entities.

Neal Gerber Eisenberg is a Chicago-based law firm whose lawyers share a culture of teamwork and devotion to personalized client service to advance clients’ business interests throughout the U.S. and beyond. Our lawyers provide legal business solutions to public and private entities of all types in connection with domestic and global business transactions and litigation. Our client base reflects a number of Fortune 100 companies, financial institutions, nonprofits and high net-worth individuals. Although the firm has one office in Chicago, it represents clients throughout the world. A steadfast devotion to our single-office concept ensures that our clients will never get lost in a shuffle of thousands of lawyers or multiple worldwide offices. With nearly 165 attorneys, the firm is suited to handle nearly any legal matter, yet small enough so clients personally know the lawyers accountable to their matters. www.ngelaw.com.