Neil A. Salyards
Partner

Services & Specializations
Admissions
Colorado;
x - Not in California
Address
525 B Street, Suite 2200, San Diego, CA 92101
Office Tel.
619.906.5639
Fax
619.398.0135
Overview
Neil advises clients on the full range of domestic and international trademark and copyright matters, with a focus on building, protecting, and enforcing global brand portfolios. He works closely with in-house legal, marketing, and brand teams, as well as foreign counsel worldwide, to manage intellectual property strategies across jurisdictions.
Neil counsels clients on trademark and copyright clearance, selection, prosecution, and enforcement, including worldwide trademark and trade dress protection, brand launches and advertising campaigns, licensing matters, and right of publicity issues. He represents clients before the US Patent and Trademark Office in trademark prosecution as well as opposition and cancellation proceedings, prepares availability and risk assessment opinions, and negotiates and drafts license and coexistence agreements. His practice also includes online brand enforcement, such as domain name disputes and DMCA takedown actions, intellectual property due diligence in connection with mergers, acquisitions, and licensing transactions, and coordination with litigators to manage IP disputes when they arise.
Neil leads Procopio’s Sports & Active Lifestyle practice, and represents clients in a wide range of industries.
“Procopio has been so wonderful to work with from day one. From the moment Neil Salyards took on my trademark case, the process was by far so much smoother and easier than I ever thought it would be. I had no idea what it took to protect my business name and Procopio’s Trademarks team explained the process step by step, making it so easy. Neil always emailed me with updates, or if an obstacle arose or he needed something. He answered any questions I had with ease and care. The hospitality Neil and everybody at Procopio showed, even a year later, was incredible. I’m honored to spread the word about Neil and Procopio, and am grateful for all they have done and continue to do.” — Michelle Selznick, Owner, Visual Serenity
DISCLAIMER: These testimonials or endorsements do not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter.
- JD, Michigan State University College of Law, cum laude, 2012
- BS, California Lutheran University, cum laude, 2008
- Guest speaker. “Views from the Bus,” San Diego Sport Innovators podcast with Bob Rief, February 20, 2025.
- Author. “Trademark Practice Considerations Following the USPTO 2025 Fee Increases,” February 3, 2025.
- Author. “Six Steps to Protecting Your Brand and Fighting Infringement and Counterfeit,” The Licensing Journal, Vol. 44, No. 5, Wolters Kluwer, May 2024.
- Author. “Global Brand Protection and Anticounterfeiting: Six Steps to Protecting Your Brand and Fighting Infringement and Counterfeits,” April 1, 2024.
- Author. “Protecting Your Online Brands on Amazon,” December 7, 2021.
- Co-author. “USPTO Targets Fraud Through Trademark Rule Changes,” April 27, 2020.
- Presenter. “Trademarks + Branding for Artists,” Art Forum: Art Law Series, California Lawyers for the Arts, San Diego, CA, November 27, 2018.
- IPO, member, Anti-Counterfeiting and Anti-Piracy Committee
- Michigan State University Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection, member
- INTA, member
- “On the Move,” Los Angeles Daily Journal, January 16, 2026.







