Patricia Lawrence-Kolaras

Patricia Lawrence Kolaras Esq. is President and Founder of The PLK Law Group, P.C where she specializes in intellectual property law including trademark, copyright, unfair competition, trade secrets, trademark dilution and domain name disputes.  In addition, she focuses on all aspects of transactional law in the area of entertainment and sports law, small business and corporate law, as well as contract law including drafting, negotiating and otherwise transacting and enforcing contract deals.

Under Kolaras’ direction, The PLK Law Group is recognized for transacting business related deals including, partnership, operating and joint venture agreements, artist recording contracts, production deals, TV, movie and radio station deals, QVC and other shopping network deals, publishing agreements, NBA Basketball Players’ agency, merchandising and marketing agreements along with procuring and otherwise protecting its clients’ intellectual property rights.

Over the years, the expertise in transactional and intellectual property law has resulted in The PLK Law Group representing record and sports companies, radio personalities, authors, executives, 4x Olympian Joetta Clark Diggs, cast member of NBC’s Thirty Roc Show, Mr. Tod’s Pie Factory of ABC’s Shark Tank Realty Show, a Beverly Hills celebrity cosmetic dental practice, Tamara Jacobs, a communications expert as well as other businesses specializing in athletic apparel and specialty goods, such as The Rum Cake Fairy Dessert Company®, LLC, the home of Oprah’s favorite Rum Cake, and Divine Diamonds Inc., the originator of the famed “Ah Ring ®”, the popular right hand pinky ring worn by Terry Hatcher, Gwyneth Paltrow, Tyra Banks, Eve, Anne Hathaway and many other celebrities.

While pursuing a Juris Doctorate (JD) from Seton Hall University School of Law, Kolaras interned in the legal department at “The RCA Records Label”, a Unit of BMG Entertainment in New York.  She soon thereafter joined BMG Entertainment Corporate, Business & Legal Affairs and the Copyright Department.  During the 10 years of working at a major record company, she honed her transactional skills in both contracts and intellectual property matters as related to the exploitation of recording and other creative performances.

In 2005, Kolaras left the corporate entertainment industry to start her own full-service law practice, The PLK Law Group.  The firm’s focus is to protect, educate and ultimately grow its clients’ business.  The PLK Law Group’s mission is to educate clients about the legal impact of their business practices.  As such, this unique combination of legal expertise and entrepreneurial savvy has led to closing million-dollar client deals.

In 2007, Kolaras was named President and General Counsel to the Rum Cake Fairy Dessert Company, LLC.  In less than a year, she secured the company’s intellectual property assets and negotiated lucrative contracts which grew the company to national recognition.  In light of this partnership, Kolaras was recognized by “Count Me In,” an organization featured on NBC’s Today Show for their commitment in identifying successful companies.

Kolaras is the recipient of several awards and is known as a popular legal expert. In that capacity, Kolaras has published an article for Commerce Magazine addressing the impact of digital downloading in the music industry, served on numerous legal panels and authored various articles on the importance of bringing value to clients businesses by strengthening their brand value. Kolaras also delivered keynotes for various executive women based organizations such as WEXNET and NJAWBO, and is also a member of New York Women in Film and Television (NYWIFT). In addition, Kolaras has appeared on several television and radio programs including MSNBC’s “Your Business,” BET’s “Top 5,” NBC’s “The Today Show,” Miami’s “Own Your Power”  radio show and the nationally syndicated radio program, “The Wendy Williams Experience,” all of which featured Kolaras’ involvement in protecting the future of her clients’ businesses.

Kolaras, a Chicago native, is a graduate of Spelman College and Seton Hall University School of Law. She is admitted to practice in the State of New Jersey, the New Jersey State Supreme Court and the United States District Court of New Jersey.  Kolaras is a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association, American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), Association of Successful Women Trail Lawyers and the American Bar Association section of Intellectual Property Law.  While in law school, Kolaras authored a legal article addressing Trademark Registration for Voice Sounds: Inadequate Protection for Singers’ Distinct Voices in Sound Recordings