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Stephen Charles McArthur

Intellectual property Attorney at Los Angeles, CA

5.0   9 reviews
  • State Years
    California - CA 11 years
    New York - NY 15 years
  • Licensed for 11 years
    State CA
    Acquired 2011
    Status
    Active No misconduct found
  • Licensed for 15 years
    State NY
    Acquired 2008
    Status
    Delinquent No misconduct found

We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.

About Stephen

Learn Stephen’s areas of practice.

I am legal counsel for companies in the digital community and especially for game developers, publishers, and app developers.

 

I have extensive knowledge of the core legal needs facing video game companies, as well as in-depth experience representing those companies, both large and small, in their intellectual property matters.

 

Before I opened my own practice, I was an attorney for several years each at the premier law firms in the country: Cravath, Swaine & Moore in NYC and Irell & Manella in Los Angeles. I was also a member of the team that represented wireless device company BlackBerry as part of a consortium that purchased patents from Nortel Networks for $4.5 billion. The deal was one of the largest public sales of intellectual property assets in history and was the recipient of the M&A Deal of the Year Award.

 

Photos and videos

Delivered at Casual Connect USA 2015. Video game lawyer Stephen McArthur explains the four most common mistakes that video game companies make with their intellectual property.

Contact Stephen

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The McArthur Intellectual Property Law Firm
11400 Olympic Blvd
Suite 200
Los Angeles, CA, 90064

Reviews

5.0 / 5.0
  9 customer reviews
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Posted by Paul | January 13, 2020
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Excellent Results on a tough case.
I worked with Mr. McArthur on a challenging patent infringement lawsuit that involved multiple parties from across the country. The other side made things difficult, but Mr. McArthur was was persistent and professional. The suit was successfully resolved, and the outcome exceeded what I thought would be possible.
Posted by Nizas | January 12, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Outstanding representation
Stephen is the consummate professional and his monumental knowledge of case-law and intellectual property is only matched by his ardor for justice and fairness. He helped us prevail in a case where one of us had substantially contributed to the creative and programming facets of a joint software venture, only to be left out of the mix once the public launch was commenced. Stephen's moves were incisive, anticipatory, and thorough, swiftly bringing about an amicable request for resolution from opposing counsel, who found themselves facing a Hobson's choice after speaking to Stephen. He is at the top of his field.
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Posted by Nick | January 8, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Sharp, responsive, and friendly
Stephen was outstanding in helping our indie game startup with all our IP and related startup needs. He is also a great pleasure to work with. I could not recommend more highly!
Posted by Patricia | February 2, 2016
This review is from a potential client who consulted with this attorney.
| Consulted Attorney
The man you can trust and very professional
Stephen gave fast respond on our request. He is precise, sharp and know exactly what is the possibility and outcome. I will recommend him and will definitely a person you can trust and work long term with.
Posted by Frank | July 6, 2015
Impressive work as our company's attorney
I'm the CEO of Zafty Games. Stephen acts as our general counsel answering all of our legal questions about intellectual property and licensing. His in-depth knowledge, quick communication, impressive experience have allowed Zafty to deftly negotiate licenses with companies who have hired much larger law firms as counsel. He has always been quickly responsive to my emails and accessible on short notice, despite living on an opposite coast. And his competence is the best I’ve come across in the legal field. I look forward to continuing our professional relationship for many more years.
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Posted by Julie | July 6, 2015
I wholeheartedly recommend Stephen
As a business owner and artist, working with Stephen was one of the best decisions I've made to date. Thanks to Stephen's efficient and effective legal counsel, what started out as a stressful copyright infringement was successfully resolved in a way that even exceeded my perceived best-case-scenario outcome. In addition, he educated me about my rights and how to protect my work. If you're looking for a smart, fair, and trustworthy lawyer, I wholeheartedly recommend Stephen.
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Posted by Ed | March 27, 2015
Favorable outcome to answering a Trademark cease and desist letter
Stephen McArthur did a great service for me and for the whole community that enjoys the original fantasy role-playing game. For almost twenty years, my online character generators for the various iterations of the "Dungeons and Dragons" game have enabled over four million different users to learn the rules, have the required calculations ready, and create player and non-player characters easily. I have done all this as a free service, without even accepting advertising. In 2015, the company asked me to remove the generators. Although a great deal of anger from hundreds of players followed, it was due to the work of Mr. McArthur that I reached an amicable agreement with the company and was able to put most of my work back where everyone could enjoy and use it. Another attorney called Mr. McArthur's analysis of the legal issues "brilliant", and while I'm not a lawyer myself, that certainly seems fair. What I enjoyed best about my relationship, though, is the decency, kindness, and fair-mindedness that this attorney brought to this situation, and how he allow a solution in which, basically, everyone emerged a winner. I can only wish that American jurisprudence always functioned this well. Thank you, Stephen.
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Posted by David | February 24, 2015
Effective attorney and well worth the cost.
We retained Stephen to help us with protecting our app that quickly exploded in popularity on the iOS Store. Weeks after we released it, it was one of the topselling apps. Within a month, we were already seeing dozens of clones and other apps stealing our name. We retained Stephen to help, and he copyrighted and trademarked the app and the name. Then he got all of the clones and problem apps out of the Apple app store and even the Android stores, which we weren't even selling on at the time. Stephen was immediately responsive to all phone calls and emails. He was extremely knowledgeable about the industry and the law. He was professional at all times and got us the results we wanted. He's not the most inexpensive lawyer out there, but you get what you pay for. Retaining him was well worth it. I strongly recommend this lawyer.
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Posted by anonymous | February 23, 2015
Smartest Man I've Ever Met
Stephen is extremely smart. Not only pertaining to his niche (in which he is an expert) but is skilled and knowledgeable in all matters regarding law. He was particularly excellent in discussing with me my options and helping me in the most efficient manner possible. I highly recommend him.
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Cost

Rates
  • Free Consultation 30 minutes
  • Hourly Rates $ 500-600 per hour
Payment methods
Cash, Check, Credit Card

Resume

AVVO RATING 10.0 (Superb)

Work Experience

  • Principal
  • The McArthur Law Practice
  • 2014 - Present
  • Attorney
  • Stubbs Alderton & Markiles
  • 2013 - 2014
  • Attorney
  • Irell & Manella
  • 2010 - 2013
  • Attorney
  • Cravath Swaine & Moore
  • 2007 - 2010
  • Extern to Magistrate Judge
  • Judicial Clerkship
  • 2006 - 2006
  • Summer Associate
  • Gardere Wynne Sewell
  • 2005 - 2005
  • Summer Associate
  • Davis Wright Tremaine, LLP
  • 2005 - 2005
View all work experience

Education

  • Columbia University School of Law
  • JD - Juris Doctor
  • 2007
  • University of Texas System, Austin
  • BA - Bachelor of Arts
  • 2004

Legal Cases

  • Big Duck Games v. ThinkCube
  • Pending

Associations

  • International Association of Privacy Professionals
  • Member
  • 2014 - Present
  • Los Angeles Copyright Society
  • Member
  • 2013 - Present

Languages Spoken

  • English

Honors and Awards

  • Rising Star
  • SuperLawyers
  • 2016
  • AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated
  • Martindale-Hubbell
  • 2015
  • Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar
  • Columbia Law School
  • 2005

Speaking Engagements

  • Intellectual Property Law
  • Copyright law in videogames at USC law school
  • 2015

Attorney endorsements

Received (27)
Given (34)
Endorse Stephen
Intellectual property Attorney | Feb 11
Relationship: Co-worker
"I have known and worked with Stephen for many years, and believe him to be an excellent IP attorney. He is very intelligent and works efficiently, and he is especially knowledgeable in areas of copyright and patent law."
Unknown Attorney | May 07
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"One of the absolute best. Exceptional attention to detail, service next to none. I endorse this lawyer."
Intellectual property Attorney | Oct 01
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer."
Unknown Attorney | Aug 07
Relationship: Worked together on matter
"I endorse this lawyer."
Copyright application Attorney | Apr 22
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Stephen is an excellent attorney committed to providing the highest quality representation to clients. I endorse this attorney without reservation."
Copyright application Attorney | Apr 07
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
".I endorse this attorney, whose reputation and credentials speak for themselves."
Intellectual property Attorney | Sep 09
Relationship: Worked together on matter
"Attorney McArthur brings a high level of professionalism, superb attention to detail and extensive legal experience to each of his clients. I wholeheartedly endorse this lawyer."
Copyright application Attorney | Jul 17
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer."
Intellectual property Attorney | Jul 13
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer."
Intellectual property Attorney | Jul 01
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer. He is brilliant and has a lot of knowledge about Video Game Law."
Intellectual property Attorney | Jul 01
Relationship: Worked together on matter
"I endorse this lawyer."
Copyright infringement Attorney | Jul 01
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Attorney McArthur's publications and online resources have provided excellent information in the areas of Copyright Law and Intellectual Property. I highly recommend Attorney McArthur on these matters."
Intellectual property Attorney | Jun 15
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer. Steplhen is sharp and I endorse him highly for game developers and software companies looking for the right intellectual property and copyright lawyer."
Intellectual property Attorney | Mar 30
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer. A great advocate and fights for his clients in court."
Intellectual property Attorney | Mar 14
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Very savvy, very good writer, and very experienced in video game law. I endorse Attorney McArthur."
Intellectual property Attorney | Mar 02
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Stephen is a Great Lawyer I endorse him"
Intellectual property Attorney | Mar 02
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer."
Intellectual property Attorney | Mar 01
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer as an expert in his field. His publications are well-respected in the community and immensely helpful to other attorneys."
Intellectual property Attorney | Feb 27
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer."
Unknown Attorney | Feb 27
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Mr. McArthur is knowledgeable, ethical, diligent, and smart. He is a great attorney to have on your side. I endorse Mr. McArthur."
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