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About us · Serving Florida statewide

Meet Our Miami Trademark Team

Abogados de marcas en Miami, al servicio de Florida, América Latina y Europa.

Four attorneys at Allen Dyer Doppelt + Gilchrist, with more than 50 years of combined experience, who have filed more than 1,000 trademark applications, handled more than 200 intellectual property disputes, and led the bar associations, chambers of commerce, and trademark organizations that shape practice in Florida and across the Americas.

The team in numbers

Experience, volume, and leadership

Figures come from each attorney's published biography. Last reviewed October 28, 2026.

50+years of combined experience
1,000+trademark applications filed with Robert H. Thornburg's assistance
200+intellectual property disputes handled by Mr. Thornburg, plus 50+ federal, state, arbitration, and TTAB matters advanced by Mr. Leahy
21bar and industry leadership roles, current and past, plus 16 civic and academic roles

Years in practice

Years since admission to the bar, or as stated in the attorney's biography.

Robert H. Thornburg23 yrsSusan J. Latham20+ yrsMelissa Dangond Crews6 yrsJames R. Leahy3 yrs

Two shareholders with more than two decades each, and two associates admitted in 2020 and 2023.

Volume at a glance

Selected filing and portfolio figures.

  • 1,000+ trademark and 200+ patent filings assisted by Mr. Thornburg
  • 19 federal applications for one NIL client, 18 of them filed before the 2026 NFL Draft
  • 75 USPTO applications for Florida citrus and agriculture organizations
  • Portfolios maintained for 15 years and more, including RSP Nutrition and ZIIVAA (protected since 2010)
The team

Our Attorneys

Featured matters on this site have also been led by our colleagues Ava K. Doppelt and Allison Imber, and every matter is supported by our paralegals and docketing staff. Each matter has a U.S.-licensed attorney responsible for it, and you always know who is handling each step. Open “Full biography” for each attorney's leadership roles, education, and recognition.

Robert H. Thornburg

Shareholder · Registered Patent Attorney

Trademark, copyright, and patent litigator and brand strategist who has represented Florida, Latin American, and European clients for more than 20 years, in Florida's federal courts, before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, and through WIPO. Before law school he worked as an engineer at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

1,000+ trademark filings200+ IP disputes200+ patent filings20+ years
  • EducationJ.D., University of Florida Levin College of Law, 2002
  • BarAdmitted in Florida and Illinois
  • RecognitionSuper Lawyers, 2013–2026, including Top 100 Miami
Full biography

Susan J. Latham

Shareholder · Trademark, False Advertising & Copyright

Intellectual property litigator with a 20-plus-year career in trademark, dilution, trade dress, cybersquatting, false advertising, and copyright cases in the federal and state courts of Florida, New York, and New Jersey, and in TTAB, WIPO domain name, and AAA proceedings. She focuses on health and beauty, fragrance, and luxury brands, and the intersection of fashion, social media, and e-commerce.

20+ years3 state barsFL · NY · NJ
  • EducationJ.D., cum laude, Florida State University College of Law
  • BarAdmitted in Florida, New York, and New Jersey
  • RecognitionBest Lawyers in America, Intellectual Property Litigation and False Advertising, 2026
Full biography

Melissa Dangond Crews

International Trademark Registration & Technology

Colombian-American Miami native, fluent in English and Spanish, who handles clearance, filing, prosecution, and maintenance before the USPTO and through the Madrid System, and works with foreign associates before the EUIPO, UKIPO, CIPO, IMPI, and offices throughout Latin America. She also handles TTAB oppositions and cancellations, domain name arbitrations, and NIL counseling for Florida athletes.

EN · ES fluentUSPTO · WIPO · EUIPO
  • EducationJ.D. with honors and Certificate in Intellectual Property, University of Florida Levin College of Law, 2020
  • BarAdmitted in Florida, 2020
  • RecognitionFlorida Super Lawyers, Rising Star in Intellectual Property, 2024–
Full biography

James R. Leahy

Intellectual Property & Technology Litigation

Miami litigator who has advanced more than fifty federal, state, arbitration, and TTAB matters in Florida, Texas, California, New York, and Arizona, with a focus on emerging technology, blockchain, AI, e-commerce, software, and health and lifestyle brands. A former University of Chicago football player, he has also advised athletes on NIL.

50+ matters5 states
  • EducationJ.D. with Concentration in Intellectual Property, William & Mary Law School, 2022; Articles Editor, Bill of Rights Journal
  • BarAdmitted in Florida, 2023
  • RecognitionFlorida Super Lawyers, 2025 and 2026
Full biography
Community

Rooted in Coral Gables and Miami

Chambers of commerce

All four attorneys serve as trustees of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce. Our team is also active in the Colombian American Chamber of Commerce, the Spain-US Chamber of Commerce, and the South Florida Irish-American Chamber of Commerce.

Law schools and the next generation

Mr. Thornburg teaches intellectual property litigation at the University of Florida Levin College of Law, sits on the executive committee of the UF Law Center Association's Board of Trustees, and is a past president of the UF Law Alumni Council. He also founded the Miami chapter of the Copyright Society.

Local bars and civic life

Our attorneys belong to the Dade County and Coral Gables bar associations, and have served as trustees of the First United Methodist Church of Coral Gables and supporters of local schools and the University of Miami Citizens Board.

Hablemos de su marca

Work with our trademark team

Tell us the mark, what you sell, and where. We will check conflicts, recommend the right filing or enforcement step, and give you a written estimate before any work begins.

  • Clearance searches and federal, Florida, and Madrid filings
  • U.S. attorney of record for foreign brand owners and firms
  • Customs, Amazon, domain name, and TTAB enforcement
  • Trademark litigation and Florida local counsel