Professionals
Practice Areas
- Advertising and Marketing Law
- Anti-Counterfeiting
- Consumer Products Practice
- Copyright
- Copyright Litigation
- Due Diligence in IP Acquisitions
- Internet Law
- IP Transactional
- Licensing
- Right of Publicity
- Strategic IP Portfolio Development and Management
- Trademark and Copyright Litigation
- Trademark and Copyright Practice
- Trademark Litigation
- Trademarks and Trade Dress
- Unfair Competition and False Advertising
Honors
- Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, 2022, 2023
- Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2020
Admissions
- State of Connecticut, 2017
Education
University of Connecticut School of Law, J.D. with Intellectual Property Certificate, with honors, 2017
Trinity College, B.A., Public Policy and Law, cum laude, 2014
Ali Caless assists clients with trademark clearance, prosecution, monitoring, and enforcement. She advises clients in both U.S. and foreign portfolio development and management. Ali is involved in drafting settlement agreements to resolve trademark disputes. She also provides assistance with other intellectual property agreements including assignments, licenses, and consent agreements. Ali also has experience in copyright matters and domain name disputes, including arbitrations under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy.
Experience Highlights
- Counsel, Cantor Colburn LLP, 2021-present
- Associate, Cantor Colburn LLP, 2017-2020
- Law Clerk, Cantor Colburn LLP, 2012-2017
- Law Clerk, Woodbridge Group of Companies, January-July 2016
News
- Best LawyersAugust 18, 2022
Cantor Colburn is proud to announce that the following attorneys are recognized as 2023 Best Lawyers: Michael Cantor Michelle Ciotola Phil Colburn Todd Garabedian, Ph.D. David Rodrigues, Ph.D. Mike Rye and Susan Zerull. Ali Caless is recognized as a 2023 Best Lawyers One to Watch.
- November 4, 2021
U.S. News - Best Lawyers® has ranked Cantor Colburn among the country’s "Best Law Firms" for 2022. Cantor Colburn’s patent, litigation, trademark, and copyright, practices were cited, and litigation was cited for both intellectual property and patent litigation.
- Super LawyersOctober 12, 2021
Cantor Colburn LLP, one of the largest full-service intellectual property law firms in the country, is pleased to announce that Co-Managing Partner Michael Cantor is a Super Lawyer and Ali Caless and Ali Hayter are Super Lawyers Rising Stars. Only 5% of attorneys are selected to be Super Lawyers; only 2.5% of attorneys are selected to be Rising Stars.
- Best LawyersAugust 19, 2021
Cantor Colburn is proud to announce that seven of our attorneys have been recognized as 2022 Best Lawyers and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. Best Lawyers are Michael Cantor, Phil Colburn, Curt Krechevsky, David Rodrigues, Ph.D. and Mike Rye and Best Lawyers One to Watch is Ali Caless.
- October 13, 2020
Cantor Colburn LLP, one of the largest full-service intellectual property law firms in the country, is pleased to announce that partners Michael Cantor and Andrew Ryan are Super Lawyers and Ali Caless and Ali Hayter are Super Lawyers Rising Stars. Only 5% of attorneys are selected to be Super Lawyers; only 2.5% of attorneys are selected to be Rising Stars.
- May 28, 2020
Cantor Colburn copyright attorneys presented a webinar on copyright law for artists, called, "Creativity and the Law: A Webinar for Artists on What Every Artist Should Know About Copyright," on May 28, 2020. This webinar was in partnership with the Greater Hartford Arts Council to explain how art is protected by copyright law. Michelle Ciotola, Ali Caless, Benjamin Cantor and Crysta Lemon Schmidt presented.
- IP Law360March 18, 2020
Curt Krechevsky and Ali Caless co-authored the article “TTAB Rulings' Preclusive Effect 5 Years After B&B Hardware,” published in IP Law360 on March 18, 2020.
Events
- June 10, 2023UConn Storrs Campus
Several Cantor Colburn attorneys will be judges at the Connecticut Invention Convention (CIC), including Cantor Colburn Partner and CIC board chair Eric Baron. This year's final competition takes place on Saturday, June 10, 2023 at UConn's Storrs campus. Cantor Colburn is proud to sponsor the Connecticut Invention Convention with the Cantor Colburn Most Patentable Invention Award.
- March 29, 2023Cantor Colburn's Hartford Office and Zoom
Cantor Colburn hosts IP Year In Review: Hot Topics in Patent, Trademark, and Copyright Law presented by the Connecticut Bar Association's Intellectual Property Law Section for CLE credit on March 29, 2023. This discussion takes place in person at Cantor Colburn's Hartford office and via Zoom.
- December 6, 2022webinar
Cantor Colburn attorneys Michelle Ciotola and Ali Caless and Warner Music Group Vice President, Senior Trademark & Domain Name Counsel Sofya Nadgorny will be panelists for the webinar "Trademark Enforcement Outside the Courtroom: Customs, Watches, and Leveraging Online Platform Solutions: Exploring Options for Early, Effective, and Budget-Conscious Strategies" on December 6, 2022, from 1-2:30 p.m. ET, presented by Strafford.
- December 1, 2022Hartford, Connecticut
Trademark Counsel Ali Caless and Patent an IP Transactions Partner David Bomzer will speak at an Ethics CLE roundtable, Ethical Practices for Communications with Clients, Opposing Parties, and the USPTO, a discussion presented by the Connecticut Bar Association's Intellectual Property Section on December 1, 2022.
- November 15, 2022Miami, Florida
The INTA 2022 Leadership Meeting will take place November 17, 2022 in Miami, Florida. This annual conference brings together INTA’s volunteer leaders and committee members to advance the Association’s support of trademarks and related intellectual property. Michael Cantor, Phil Colburn, Michelle Ciotola, Ali Caless and Ben Cantor are attending the conference.
- October 12, 2022Hartford, Connecticut
Ali Caless and Michelle Ciotola will attend The Aurora Foundation for Women and Girls event, "Cocktails for Community," at Dunkin’ Donuts Park on October 12, 2022.Cantor Colburn is proud to sponsor the event and support the nonprofit's mission to empower low-income women, women of color, and first-generation college students to earn a college degree.
- September 20, 2022Madrid
The 36th MARQUES Annual Conference will focus on celebrating marks. Cantor Colburn trademark attorneys Michelle Ciotola, Tom Mango, and Ali Caless will attend.
- September 11, 2022Greater Washington, D.C. Area
Ali Caless, Trademark & Copyright Counsel, Crysta Lemon, Trademark & Copyright Manager, and Soomin Kim, Paralegal, will attend the 2022 Trademark Administrators and Practitioners (TMAP) Meeting, September 11-13, 2022, in Arlington, Virginia.
- April 30, 2022Washington, D.C.
INTA’s Annual Meeting Live+ is in-person and virtual. Taking place over April 30–May 4, 2022 in Washington, D.C., the annual conference of the International Trademark Association brings together the most influential brand and intellectual property professionals from across the globe and across industries.
- October 7, 2021
UConn Law alumni Nancy Kennedy, Ali Caless, and Grant Ehrlich will attend the UConn Law Intellectual Property and Technology Law Society Student-Practitioner Meet & Greet on October 7, 2021.
- October 7, 2021virtual program
Trademark Counsel Ali Caless will be part of a panel discussion on Effectively Proving Trademark Use, presented by the Fairfield County (CT) Bar Entertainment/Media/IP Committee on October 7, 2021, a virtual program.
- April 26, 2021
During the Connecticut Invention Convention, more than 500 engineers, academics, scientists, entrepreneurs, and legal professionals will judge students' inventions and inspire young minds to pursue science and engineering studies and careers.
- May 28, 2020
Cantor Colburn copyright attorneys will present the complimentary webinar, "Creativity and the Law: A Webinar for Artists on What Every Artist Should Know About Copyright," on May 28, 2020 at 5:30 PM in partnership with the Greater Hartford Arts Council. Michelle Ciotola, Ali Caless, Benjamin Cantor and Crysta Lemon Schmidt will review copyright law and how artists can protect their creative works.
- December 3, 2019Hartford, Connecticut
Alison Caless will participate on an IP Ethics CLE panel for the IP section of the Connecticut Bar on December 3, 2019; 2 CLE Ethics credits are available in CT and NY. Alison is a member of the CBA's IP Section.
- October 23, 2019West Hartford, Connecticut
Trademark attorneys Alison Caless and Benjamin Cantor will present an introductory workshop on trademarks to the Greater Hartford Chapter of SCORE on October 23, 2019 from 1-3 PM at the Noah Webster Library in West Hartford, Connecticut.
- October 15, 2019Plantsville, Connecticut
Alison Caless and Benjamin Cantor will attend UCONN's Law School Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner on Tuesday, October 15, 2019.
- September 17, 2019Dublin, Ireland
Michelle Ciotola, Tom Mango, and Ali Caless will attend The MARQUES 33rd Annual Conference that takes place on September 17-19, 2019 in Dublin, Ireland. This year's conference theme is "Brands Confronting Change."
- May 18, 2019Boston, Massachusetts
The 141st annual meeting of the International Trademark Association (INTA) will take place in Boston, Massachusetts from May 18-22, 2018. Nearly 10,000 intellectual property professionals from around the world will attend, including a large delegation from Cantor Colburn.
- May 4, 2019University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
Several Cantor Colburn attorneys will be judges at the regional and statewide Connecticut Invention Convention (CIC), competitions, including Eric Baron, who is also a CIC board member. Michael Cantor will attend to represent the firm during the program, which will recognize Cantor Colburn's support. This year's convention will take place on May 4, 2019 at the UConn Storrs campus.
- April 12, 2019New York City
Trademark and copyright attorney Alison Caless attended the ASIPI Sports Law Conference on April 12, 2019 in New York City.
- January 30, 2019Cantor Colburn's Hartford Office
The Copyright Team at Cantor Colburn will present, “Creativity and the Law: What Every Artist Should Know About Their Creations,” presented in partnership with the Greater Hartford Arts Council. This session is a copyright basics seminar for artists in all media.
Presenting are Michelle Ciotola, Partner and Trademark & Copyright Department Vice Chair, Associates Ali Caless and Ben Cantor, and Senior Trademark paralegal Crysta Lemon Schmidt.
- March 28, 2018Southington, Connecticut
The Women of Innovation® awards gala on March 28, 2018, celebrates the women who make Connecticut's businesses and institutions strong leaders on the cutting edge. The event is presented by the Connecticut Technology Council.
- December 5, 2017Hartford, Connecticut
Cantor Colburn's copyright attorneys are pleased to partner with the Greater Hartford Arts Council and present a copyright basics seminar for artists in all media. This session will inform artists about the rights and protections available to them regarding their creations.
Professional Affiliations
Connecticut Bar Association
- Intellectual Property Law Section and Education Coordinator
- Young Lawyers Section
International Trademark Association
- Trademark Administrators Committee
Intellectual Property Owners Association
MARQUES
- Education Team