Kristel Tupja is an associate in the Intellectual Property Department. She focuses her practice on domestic and international trademark portfolio management, as well as trademark and copyright litigation and enforcement. Kristel also advises her clients on the registration of copyrights and trademarks with the Copyright Office and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
Kristel also assists Ballard Spahr's Media and Entertainment Law practice group in defending media clients against defamation claims, pursuing access to public records, and providing prepublication counseling and newsgathering advice to journalists and news organizations.
Professional Highlights
Pro Bono Experience
Kristel maintains an active pro bono practice. She has successfully represented refugees in asylum applications and assisted survivors of crime with U visa applications. She also has worked on open government records and reporter's privilege projects with Ballard Spahr's Media and Entertainment Law Group. While in law school, Kristel provided civil legal services to low-income elderly citizens and interned with the Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia.
Speaking Engagements
Speaker, "Monthly Media Law Meeting of the D.C. Bar Arts, Entertainment, Media and Sports Law Community," D.C. Bar, January 13, 2021
Presenter, "SIPS," William & Mary, October 21, 2020
Board Memberships & Community Service
2020 Women on Boards, Philadelphia Leadership Committee
Philadelphia Intellectual Property Law Association, Board of Governors
New Leash On Life USA, Reentry Committee
Publications
Co-author, "Trump Administration Releases Data on "Colossal" COVID Loan Programs," MLRC MediaLawLetter, November 2020
Co-author, "What does your body say about you? Not enough, the Ninth Circuit Says," American Bar Association's Litigation Journal, Spring 2020
"Court Holds One-on-One Conversations With Government Officials Are Not Immune Under Fair Report Privilege," MLRC MediaLawLetter, January 2020
"Ninth Circuit Rejects Challenge to 'Bikini Baristas' Dress Code Ordinance," MLRC MediaLawLetter, August 2019
Co-author, "D.C. Circuit – Reporter's Privilege Compendium," Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, January 2019
Credentials
Education
William & Mary Law School (J.D. 2017)
Suffolk University (B.A., summa cum laude, 2012)
Languages
Albanian
Spanish
Admissions
Pennsylvania
District of Columbia
Virginia