Best & FlanaganBest & Flanagan
David Schelzel is a partner in the firm’s Business Law and Intellectual Property practice areas. He works with a wide variety of businesses, non-profits and creatives to help understand and navigate the legal aspects of what they do, avoid pitfalls, protect assets, solve problems, develop smart strategies and realize their goals. His clients include prominent interactive, retail, consumer product, design and advertising companies, as well as world-renowned musicians, authors, designers and artists.
David has extensive experience in business, copyright and trademark law. He routinely helps clients organize their business, and protect and use their intellectual property, including through registration, licensing and dispute resolution. He understands what his clients do and the areas they work in, including the Web, software, technology, consumer products, marketing, and the creative arts.
David has been responsible for several large branding projects, including clearance and registration of new product lines and company trademarks for prominent creative individuals and companies. David has filed and prosecuted hundreds of trademark applications and has conducted many more clearance searches. He has resolved significant copyright disputes involving apparel, architectural works, software, photography, music and writings, as well as disputes over Internet domain names and activities on the World Wide Web.
David has also worked closely with famous individuals to protect their privacy and rights of publicity. He has negotiated and completed significant agreements with and for some of Minnesota’s largest companies and most prominent creative individuals.
Industries and areas that David has substantial experience with include: Advertising, Book Publishing, Creative Arts, Communications, Design, Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Businesses and Initiatives, Entertainment, Fashion, Fine Arts, Interactive, Internet and Websites, Marketing, Music, Nonprofits, Product Development, Recording and Performing Arts, Retail, Software, Technology, Talent, and Urban and Land Use Planning.
David has many years of personal experience in the music business as a songwriter, producer and major label recording artist. He brings a creative and practical mind to his work.
University of Minnesota, J.D., cum laude, Minnesota Intellectual Property Review, 2002
Pennsylvania State University, B.A., academic honors, 1992
State of Minnesota
International Trademark Association
American Bar Association
Minnesota State Bar Association