Dalton Hughes

Associate | He/Him/His

Overview

Dalton’s varied project history within the intellectual property space allows him to assist clients at any stage of their goals. Both startups and century-old corporate powerhouses can rely on Dalton to stay current on fast-developing technological trends for their important legal decisions.

Dalton concentrates his law practice on intellectual property litigation, including trademark, copyright, trade secret, antitrust, and unfair competition matters. At Crowell, he has represented plaintiffs and defendants with diverse federal litigation needs, ranging from prompt cease and desist coordination, complex software discovery disputes, multi-party depositions, and successful preliminary injunction motions and settlement conferences. Dalton’s counseling practice includes prosecuting trademarks, registering copyrights, enforcing global trademark portfolios, and counseling clients on intellectual property due diligence transactions. He also maintains a varied pro bono docket, including representing tenants in leasing disputes, enforcing international nonprofit trademark rights, and assisting independent musicians with registering their copyrights.

Within the firm, Dalton co-leads the Metaverse specialty group and is a member of the Artificial Intelligence working group, advising internal teams and clients on new intellectual property developments within virtual reality branding. He is active in the new media industry, including the Esports Bar Association.

Previously, Dalton externed for the Honorable Joan H. Lefkow at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. His intellectual property experience comes from a broad background in the media, tech, and entertainment industries. This experience includes copyright and royalty management at a leading global music publishing label, brand development, consumer survey research, contract administration, app development, and computer support. Outside work, Dalton is active in the Chicago arts community, serving on the associate boards of local theaters. A Nashville native, Dalton began practicing in Chicago after attending the University of Illinois College of Law in Champaign-Urbana, where he was on the leadership boards for the Sports & Entertainment Law Society and the Intellectual Property Law Society, as well as a Managing Editor of the University of Illinois Law Review.

Career & Education

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    • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
      Legal Extern for the Honorable Joan H. Lefkow, 2018
    • Sony/ATV Music Publishing
      Global Copyright Coordinator, 2016–2017
    • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
      Legal Extern for the Honorable Joan H. Lefkow, 2018
    • Sony/ATV Music Publishing
      Global Copyright Coordinator, 2016–2017
    • Belmont University, B.S., cum laude, Entertainment Industry Studies, 2016
    • University of Illinois College of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, 2020
    • Belmont University, B.S., cum laude, Entertainment Industry Studies, 2016
    • University of Illinois College of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, 2020
    • Illinois
    • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
    • Illinois
    • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
  • Professional Activities and Memberships

    • Chicago Bar Association, Member
    • Esports Bar Association, Member
    • Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago, Member
    • Lawyers for the Creative Arts, Associate Board Member
    • Public Interest Law Initiative, Member
    • Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Association, Member
    • North American Vexillological Association, Member

    Professional Activities and Memberships

    • Chicago Bar Association, Member
    • Esports Bar Association, Member
    • Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago, Member
    • Lawyers for the Creative Arts, Associate Board Member
    • Public Interest Law Initiative, Member
    • Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Association, Member
    • North American Vexillological Association, Member

Dalton's Insights

Client Alert | 3 min read | 02.14.24

Will the Real Inventor Please Stand Up? USPTO Releases New Guidance on Inventorship for AI-assisted Inventions, Focusing on Human Creation

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued a Federal Register Notice on February 13, 2024 explaining how it will analyze patent inventorship issues for inventions that utilize artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Overall, the USPTO concluded that AI-assisted inventions are not categorically unpatentable, but that a human must have made significant contributions in every aspect of the invention, and reminds applicants of their duty of candor to disclose information that could evidence that an individual may not be an inventor where her/his purported contribution was the result of an AI system. ...

Recognition

  • CALI Awards for Highest Grade in: Advanced Legal Research; Traditional Knowledge & Folklore in Intellectual Property
  • University of Illinois College of Law: Pro Bono Notation 

Dalton's Insights

Client Alert | 3 min read | 02.14.24

Will the Real Inventor Please Stand Up? USPTO Releases New Guidance on Inventorship for AI-assisted Inventions, Focusing on Human Creation

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued a Federal Register Notice on February 13, 2024 explaining how it will analyze patent inventorship issues for inventions that utilize artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Overall, the USPTO concluded that AI-assisted inventions are not categorically unpatentable, but that a human must have made significant contributions in every aspect of the invention, and reminds applicants of their duty of candor to disclose information that could evidence that an individual may not be an inventor where her/his purported contribution was the result of an AI system. ...

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Dalton's Insights

Client Alert | 3 min read | 02.14.24

Will the Real Inventor Please Stand Up? USPTO Releases New Guidance on Inventorship for AI-assisted Inventions, Focusing on Human Creation

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued a Federal Register Notice on February 13, 2024 explaining how it will analyze patent inventorship issues for inventions that utilize artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Overall, the USPTO concluded that AI-assisted inventions are not categorically unpatentable, but that a human must have made significant contributions in every aspect of the invention, and reminds applicants of their duty of candor to disclose information that could evidence that an individual may not be an inventor where her/his purported contribution was the result of an AI system. ...