Associate, Sheppard Mullin

Robert Hough is an associate in the Intellectual Property Practice Group in the Sheppard Mullin’s Dallas office.

Areas of Practice

Robert represents clients in litigation to secure, enforce, and leverage their valuable intellectual property rights. He counsels clients in matters related to copyright, trademark, trade dress, trade secret, advertising, publicity, and entertainment law. He regularly leads clients through trademark enforcement proceedings under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) before the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), as well as proceedings under various other international dispute resolution policies. In addition to Robert’s extensive intellectual property enforcement and licensing practice, Robert is skilled in trademark prosecution and portfolio management, including guiding clients through actions before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Robert has significant experience in matters unique to the music and entertainment industry. His entertainment practice concentrates on legal issues in music, television, and film, particularly those involving co-branding, integration and product placement agreements, talent engagement, right of publicity, and original content production and licensing. Robert draws on his years of experience in the music business to provide counsel to clients in all areas of the industry.

Robert also brings over six years of experience in the advertising industry to his advertising law practice, having led national brand activation initiatives on the agency side in the print, digital, social, and mobile spaces. His advertising practice focuses on influencer campaigns, endorsements and sponsorships, promotional licensing, social media activations, and risk management in the administration of sweepstakes, contests, and other promotions. Robert also counsels brands and marketing agencies on state and federal regulatory compliance issues related to claim substantiation and consumer protection, including regulation under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography And Marketing (CAN-SPAM) Act. He provides on-demand service as primary, overflow, and escalation counsel for compliance review of national advertising content across the various platforms.