Paul A. Godfread

For businesses, entrepreneurs, and creatives across Minnesota, protecting your ideas, managing complex contracts, and navigating the ever-evolving landscape of technology law are crucial. When these vital aspects of your enterprise require expert legal guidance, Paul A. Godfread stands as a highly regarded attorney in Minneapolis, offering focused and practical legal solutions. Paul A. Godfread, affiliated with Pruvent PLLC, brings a unique blend of legal acumen and real-world experience to his practice, particularly benefiting clients in the realms of intellectual property, business, and technology.

Paul Godfread understands that legal representation should be built on a strong relationship, not just a transaction. His background in information technology prior to his legal career provides him with a distinctive insight into the challenges and opportunities faced by modern businesses. This practical experience allows him to help clients adapt to new technologies and foresee potential legal issues before they arise. He has represented a diverse range of businesses, from burgeoning startups to established, multi-generational companies, helping them with everything from brand protection to complex contractual agreements and litigation. His approach is rooted in finding better, more efficient ways to help clients succeed in a rapidly changing commercial environment, ensuring their legal strategies align with their business objectives.

Paul A. Godfread's office is conveniently located in one of Minneapolis's most prominent buildings, the IDS Center, at 80 S 8th St UNIT 900, Minneapolis, MN 55402, USA. This central downtown Minneapolis location ensures excellent accessibility for clients throughout the Twin Cities metropolitan area and beyond.

The IDS Center is a well-known landmark, easily identifiable and reachable by various modes of transportation. For those utilizing public transit, Minneapolis's extensive bus and light rail networks have numerous stops within close walking distance of the IDS Center. This makes commuting to appointments straightforward and efficient. For clients who prefer to drive, a multitude of parking garages are available in the surrounding downtown area, providing ample options for a hassle-free visit. This strategic location underscores Paul Godfread's commitment to serving the Minnesota business community with both expert legal advice and practical convenience.

Paul A. Godfread specializes in a range of interconnected legal areas that are critical for businesses operating in today's digital and innovative landscape. His services are tailored to protect assets, facilitate transactions, and resolve disputes, ensuring clients can focus on their core operations. His primary practice areas include:

• Intellectual Property Law: This is a core focus, encompassing all aspects of trademark and copyright law. Paul assists clients with:
  • Trademark Prosecution: Guiding businesses through the process of registering trademarks with the USPTO, advising on brand risks and opportunities, and representing companies in disputes before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB).
  • Copyright Law: Advising on copyright ownership, protection, and infringement, particularly relevant for creators, media companies, and software developers.
  • Trade Secret Protection: Helping businesses safeguard their confidential information and proprietary processes.
  • Intellectual Property Litigation: Representing companies in state and federal court for claims of infringement, unfair competition, and domain name disputes (UDRP and ACPA).
  • Licensing Agreements: Negotiating and drafting intellectual property licenses for joint ventures, franchises, and other collaborative efforts.
• Business & Corporate Law: Paul provides comprehensive legal support for businesses at every stage of their lifecycle, including:
  • Business Formation: Assisting new startups with entity selection, formation, and foundational agreements.
  • Contract Negotiation & Drafting: Preparing and reviewing a wide variety of business and technology contracts, such as service agreements, joint venture agreements, real estate leases, subscription agreements, and independent contractor agreements.
  • Mergers & Acquisitions: Guiding clients through the legal complexities of business transactions.
  • Business Litigation: Representing clients in various commercial disputes, including contract and tort claims.
  • Collections and Debt Enforcement: Helping businesses recover debts and enforce liens and judgments.
• Data Privacy Law: Counseling clients on compliance with evolving data privacy laws and regulations, including GDPR, CCPA, and other relevant statutes, helping them adapt to new technologies while maintaining legal readiness.
• Technology Law: Advising on legal issues arising from new technologies, e-commerce, and online advertising.
• Media and Advertising Law: Providing legal guidance on advertising copy and media-related legal challenges.

Paul A. Godfread's practice offers several key features and highlights that make him a particularly strong choice for businesses and individuals in Minnesota:

• Unique Blend of Expertise: His background in information technology provides a significant advantage, allowing him to offer practical and forward-thinking legal advice on technology-related business and IP issues that many other attorneys may not possess.
• Highly Rated and Recognized: Paul has been recognized as a "Rising Star" by Super Lawyers for multiple years (2015-2018), a distinction awarded to a select few attorneys who demonstrate excellence in their practice. This recognition is based on a rigorous selection process involving peer nominations and independent research.
• Diverse Client Base: Paul works with a wide array of industries, including software, retail, agriculture, marketing, automotive, manufacturing, media, food, personal care, and financial services. This broad exposure allows him to apply lessons from one industry to benefit clients in others.
• Pro Bono Commitment: In addition to his commercial work, Paul regularly provides pro bono assistance for clients with First Amendment issues, as well as for musicians and artists. This demonstrates his commitment to legal access and support for the creative community.
• Academic Involvement: Paul serves as an adjunct faculty member at Mitchell Hamline College of Law, where he teaches courses in copyright law, trademark law, and legal writing. This academic engagement keeps him at the forefront of legal developments and allows him to share his knowledge with future legal professionals.
• Extensive Litigation Experience: He has served as lead attorney for trials, evidentiary hearings, and appeals, successfully obtaining injunctions against infringers and securing favorable settlements for both plaintiffs and defendants in intellectual property and business disputes.
• Relational Approach to Law: Paul believes in building lasting relationships with his clients, ensuring that legal representation is based on partnership rather than a mere transaction.

While Paul A. Godfread's practice, like many specialized law firms, may not offer traditional "promotions" or discount codes, his value proposition is built on providing efficient, effective, and results-oriented legal counsel. His focus on building long-term client relationships often translates into more streamlined and cost-effective legal solutions over time, as he gains a deeper understanding of a client's business needs and objectives. For many business and intellectual property matters, legal fees are typically structured based on hourly rates or project-based fees, depending on the nature and complexity of the work. It is always advisable to schedule an initial consultation to discuss your specific legal needs and understand the fee structure that would apply to your case. This initial discussion can provide clarity on the investment required for expert legal guidance tailored to your situation.

For those in Minnesota seeking expert legal counsel in intellectual property, business, or technology law, Paul A. Godfread is readily accessible. Here’s how you can reach his office:

Address: 80 S 8th St UNIT 900, Minneapolis, MN 55402, USA
Phone: (651) 792-5064
Mobile Phone: +1 651-792-5064

Located in the heart of downtown Minneapolis within the IDS Center, scheduling a consultation is convenient. Reaching out by phone is the best first step to discuss your legal needs, whether you're a startup looking to protect your brand, an established business navigating a complex contract, or an artist seeking to understand your rights.

For individuals and businesses located in Minnesota, Paul A. Godfread is an exceptionally suitable legal partner, particularly for those operating in creative, innovative, and entrepreneurial sectors. His unique background in information technology provides an invaluable perspective that few other attorneys can offer, bridging the gap between cutting-edge technology and intricate legal frameworks. This means that when you work with Paul, you're not just getting legal advice, but also insights informed by real-world technical understanding.

His deep specialization in intellectual property, business, and technology law ensures that clients receive highly focused and effective representation. Whether you're a startup needing to secure your intellectual assets, an established company looking to navigate data privacy regulations, or a creative professional seeking to protect your work, Paul Godfread's proven track record and recognized expertise (including his Super Lawyers Rising Star designation) demonstrate his capability. His commitment to building lasting client relationships ensures that your legal needs are met with a personalized and strategic approach, making him a truly valuable asset for the vibrant business and innovation community of Minnesota.