Charles P. Bacall

Charlie’s diligent attention to detail helps artists, agencies, and businesses large and small identify, clear, protect, and exploit their intellectual property assets.

With years of experience in the fields of trademark and copyright law, Charlie assists businesses (including many brand owners with international trademark portfolios) with the selection, screening, registration, licensing, and enforcement of marks and other work products. Due to his familiarity with both intellectual property and business law, he often serves in an outside general counsel role to companies that rely on intellectual property for their competitive advantage.

Charlie’s practice goes beyond the basics of registering and protecting intellectual property assets; he also advises clients as they develop and implement new intellectual property, helping them avoid or resolve unintentional conflicts. For instance, he represents a number of marketing and advertising firms and helps them navigate the complex relationships involved in developing intellectual property for their clients and for themselves, as well as obtain rights to use existing content in their work. Similarly, he has advised a wide variety of content publishers and producers including software developers, writers, photographers, and musicians. His work for these clients frequently involves drafting and negotiating contracts, such as license and distribution agreements, development agreements, joint marketing agreements, and supply agreements, as well as counseling clients about transactions involving their work product.

Charlie has served as a guest lecturer on intellectual property topics at the University of Maine School of Law, and has contributed many hours of pro bono service to members of the arts community.

When not involved in intellectual property pursuits, Charlie can be found cycling or running in Greater Portland. He has run the Beach to Beacon 10K five years in a row. Charlie is a home brewer who appreciates the complexity of the brewing process and the variety of styles that can be achieved from such basic ingredients. Among other community service endeavors, Charlie volunteers at the North Yarmouth Historical Society, where he was formerly Treasurer and now serves as a board member.

Services/Industries

• Intellectual Property
• Business Law
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Higher Education
• Health Care
• Technology
• Software
• Copyright
• Licensing
• Trademark
• IP Litigation
• Food & Beverage
• Manufacturing Food & Beverage
• Retail Food & Beverage

Education

• University of Michigan Law School (J.D., cum laude)
  • Phi Beta Kappa
• Bowdoin College (A.B., magna cum laude)

Bar Admissions

• Maine

Memberships

• Maine State Bar Association, Intellectual Property Section
• International Trademark Association

Honors

• Recognized in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business under Intellectual Property
• Named a Local Litigation Star for Intellectual Property by Benchmark Litigation
• Named The Best Lawyers in America^® under Trademark Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Portland, Maine (2014, 2018, 2021)
• Named The Best Lawyers in America^® under Copyright Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Portland, Maine (2017, 2020, 2024)
• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America^® under Copyright Law, Corporate Law, and Trademark Law in Portland, Maine
• Selected by peers for inclusion in New England Super Lawyers under Intellectual Property and Business/Corporate

Learn more about the third-party ratings, rankings, and selection processes used for inclusion.