Akerman today announced the expansion of its Intellectual Property Practice Group with the addition of Erin Hennessy and Annie Allison as partners in the New York office. They bring deep, complementary experience advising global brands, further strengthening Akerman’s ability to guide clients through complex trademark, copyright, and brand-related matters in a rapidly evolving digital and content-driven landscape.

“Erin and Annie are highly respected intellectual property lawyers with proven track records advising some of the world’s most recognized brands,” said Brian Bianco, chair of Akerman's Intellectual Property Practice Group. “Their collective experience, coupled with their business-minded approach, makes them exceptional additions to our team and strong assets to our clients navigating increasingly complex branding, content, and technology issues.”

Erin Hennessy

Erin is a trusted strategic advisor, counseling clients across industries including media, entertainment, sports, technology, retail, fashion, and financial services. A former chief trademark counsel at Time Warner Inc., she brings a distinctive combination of in-house and law firm experience, enabling her to align legal strategies with business priorities and deliver practical, commercially focused solutions.

Erin advises clients across the full lifecycle of intellectual property assets, including trademark clearance, prosecution, enforcement, and litigation, as well as domain name, social media, and internet-related matters. She also counsels on intellectual property aspects of mergers and acquisitions and negotiates a wide range of commercial agreements. Known for distilling complex legal issues into clear, actionable guidance, she helps clients mitigate risk, unlock value, and drive growth.

In addition to her client work, Erin is a recognized leader in the intellectual property community and public policy arena. She currently serves as chair of the Political Action Committee for the International Trademark Association, where she assists the organization's leaders on key legal and regulatory issues impacting brand owners worldwide.

Annie Allison

Annie brings more than a decade of experience in IP enforcement and protection, with a practice spanning global portfolio management, brand licensing, and content distribution. Her practice focuses on the intersection of IP and digital content, representing clients in the media, entertainment, sports, fashion, and technology sectors.

Annie’s practice encompasses portfolio strategy, enforcement, and proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Drawing on her prior professional background as a television news producer and reporter, she brings a practical, industry-informed perspective to negotiating complex agreements, including brand and music licensing; content distribution and streaming arrangements; and software development and services agreements, as well as film and television rights and option agreements.

She also counsels clients on advertising, social media, privacy, and consumer protection matters, helping them navigate evolving regulatory requirements while supporting brand growth.

About Akerman

Founded in 1920, Akerman is an Am Law 100 firm recognized by Vault among the nation’s most prestigious law firms. The firm has more than 700 lawyers and business professionals throughout the United States.

Akerman's Intellectual Property Practice Group serves clients worldwide in all areas of intellectual property law, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and the Internet. Ranked nationally by Best Lawyers in intellectual property litigation, the group handles complex and high-profile cases spanning a range of industries, including electronics and technology, fashion, entertainment, and financial services, among others.