Profile
Sabina Vayner represents brand owners and creators across a broad spectrum of industries in trademark, copyright, and advertising litigation, enforcement, and counseling matters. She has experience litigating federal trademark, copyright, false advertising, and trade dress infringement actions, and regularly represents clients in proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Sabina additionally advises clients on a wide variety of issues to minimize the risk of disputes, including those involving copyright and trademark clearance and portfolio management, advertising review, social media, and right of publicity, and has experience and insights into the demands on, and role of, in-house counsel as a result of a prior secondment in the Entertainment Group (Consumer Advertising) of the world’s largest telecommunications company.
For the past seven years (2016-2022), Sabina has been recognized by the World Trademark Review as a leading trademark practitioner in the publication's annual WTR 1000 ranking. In 2017, she was named one of Atlanta Business Chronicle’s “40 Under 40,” and in 2014, she was selected as one of Georgia Trend magazine's “40 Under 40.” Sabina has also been recognized by Super Lawyers magazine on the Georgia "Rising Stars" list for each year from 2013-2018 and 2020-2022. In the community, she currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Southeast Region of the Anti-Defamation League, is a graduate of LEAD Atlanta, and was a member of the University of Georgia Terry College of Business Young Alumni Board from 2011-2015.
Prior to joining Greenberg Traurig, Sabina practiced in an internationally recognized Trademark & Copyright Team of an Am Law 100 firm.
Capabilities
Experience
- Represented various global brands, including two of the world’s leading hotel companies, one of the largest companies in the alcoholic beverages industry, a worldwide nonprofit housing organization, a leading multimedia messaging and technology company, a multinational investment bank and financial services corporation, an international restaurant group, a diversified consumer products company, and a well-known provider of software and data storage solutions in trademark enforcement, litigation, and portfolio matters, including in numerous proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.°
- Represented international mobile technology trade association in years-long, complex trademark litigation spanning U.S. district court, court of appeals, and Trademark Trial and Appeal Board actions. Delson Group, Inc. v. GSM Ass’n, 570 F. App’x 690 (9th Cir. 2014).°
- Defended film and television studios against claims of trademark infringement and dilution in litigation filed by multinational oil and gas corporation, arising from plaintiff’s claims that the logo for the new FXX channel infringed and diluted plaintiff’s trademark rights in “Interlocking X” mark. Resolved through settlement a few months prior to the start of trial. Exxon Mobil Corp. v. FX Networks, LLC, 4:13-cv-02906 (S.D. Tex. filed Oct. 2, 2013).°
- Represented energy bar and organic food company in trademark infringement litigation against competing manufacturer, arising from defendant’s use of KILL CLIFF mark for protein bars. Resolved through settlement. Clif Bar & Co. v. Kill Cliff Inc., 3:15-cv-03258 (N.D. Cal. filed July 13, 2015).°
- Represented the world’s largest telecommunications company in various advertising counseling and enforcement matters, as well as copyright litigation.°
- Advised and represented largest manufacturer and retailer of socks in the United States in copyright clearance, enforcement, and litigation matters.°
- Defended global book publisher against allegations of copyright infringement by a photographer whose photograph appeared on a book cover, resulting in photographer’s dismissal of the lawsuit with prejudice after motion to dismiss briefing.°
- Represented a stock photography licensing company in various copyright infringement litigation and enforcement matters against unauthorized users of company’s images, recovering statutory damages and attorneys’ fees in multiple litigations.°
- Defended and resolved trademark infringement lawsuit brought by bottled water manufacturer against consortium of bottling plants.°
- Advised copyright owners on various work for hire and copyright termination issues.°
Recognition & Leadership
- Listed, The Legal 500 United States, Trademarks: Non-Contentious (Including Prosecution, Portfolio Management and Licensing), 2023-2024
- Listed, World Trademark Review, "WTR 1000" (2016-2024)
- Ranked in Georgia, Trademark (2016-2024)
- Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Trademark Law (2020-2025); Copyright Law (2021-2025); Litigation - Intellectual Property (2025)
- Listed, "Lawyer of the Year," Copyright Law, Atlanta, 2022
- Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Georgia Super Lawyers “Rising Star,” Intellectual Property Litigation (2013-2018, 2020-2023)
- Team Member, a Law360 “Media & Entertainment Practice Group of the Year” (2022)
- Selected, Atlanta Business Chronicle “40 Under 40” (2017)
- Selected, Georgia Trend “40 Under 40” (2014)
- Recipient, Atlanta Intellectual Property Inn of Court Pro Bono Award (2014)
- Copyright Society of the USA
- Co-Chair, National Membership Committee
- Past Co-Chair, Southeast Chapter (2018-2020)
- Member, Atlanta Intellectual Property Inn of Court
- Member, International Trademark Association
- Former Southeast Co-Chair, Saul Lefkowitz Moot Court Competition Committee (2009-2014)
- Anti-Defamation League
- Southeast Region Board of Directors
- Executive Committee (2016-2020)
- Member, National ADL ACT Cohort (previously Leadership 2020)
- Member, National Civil Rights Committee
- Member, Southeast Region Civil Rights Committee, Growth Committee
- Past Co-Chair, Southeast Region Leadership Development Committee
- Graduate, Glass Leadership Institute, Class of 2010-2011
- Southeast Region Board of Directors
- LEAD Atlanta, Class of 2014
- University of Georgia, Terry College of Business
- Former Member, Young Alumni Board (2011-2015)
- Conference Co-Chair, Professional Women’s Conference (2012)
- State Bar of Georgia
- Member, Intellectual Property Law Section
- Member, Sports & Entertainment Law Section
- ServiceJuris
- Former Member, Steering Committee (2009-2014)
- American Bar Association
- Former Editorial Board Member, Annual Review of Intellectual Property Law Developments (2009-2011)
Credentials
-
J.D., University of Virginia School of Law, 2008
- Executive Editor, Virginia Journal of Social Policy & the Law
- B.B.A., summa cum laude, with highest honors, University of Georgia, 2005
- Georgia
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- Russian