[email protected]
Phone: 215.525.1165 x159
Direct: 215.487.1455
Education:
- J.D. – University of Dayton School of Law, Dayton, OH; Graduated Cum Laude with Intellectual Property Track Honors; Staff Writer and Outside Articles Editor, University of Dayton Law Review
- B.S.– University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA; Psychology & Economics; Graduated Magna Cum Laude
Experience:
Kathryn (Kate) Ng leads Spadea Lignana’s trademark practice, helping founders and franchisors build, protect, and grow brands that stand the test of time.
Her experience in intellectual property and transactional law allows her to approach trademarks with both legal and business considerations. Kate has helped launch more than 30 franchise systems and achieved trademark registrations for clients across a wide range of industries, including spas and wellness, software, restaurants, franchise consulting, salons, moving and storage, and lawn care.
She also assists clients with trademark maintenance, enforcement, unauthorized third-party use, and consent agreements.
Approach:
Kate thinks of the early trademark process as matchmaking: finding a name that fits the founder, the business, and the legal landscape. She helps clients take emotion out of the process and evaluate whether a potential brand can actually be protected and support their long-term business goals.
“I focus clients on the decisions that move the needle, then build a practical roadmap their brand can follow as the business scales. Founders naturally fall in love with a name, especially after investing in it. I aim to get involved early in the selection process, before the market does, and help clients stay objective until we know there’s a clear path to protection.”
Passion:
Kate helps clients evaluate and protect their brands from early name selection through regional and nationwide expansion.
Because she also drafts and reviews franchise documents, Kate can spot potential pitfalls early and understand how they could affect a client’s trademark, disclosures, or plans for growth.
“Assisting franchisors daily with FDD disclosures and franchise agreements gives me a front-row view of franchise compliance, and allows me to anticipate issues early and keep the brand’s trademark and growth strategy aligned.”
Kate is proud to be a member of the International Trademark Association’s 2026–2027 Commercialization of IP Committee, where she serves on the Franchising and Licensing Subcommittee.
Kate lives in Yardley, PA. When she’s not working, you may find her out running a 5K, playing with her 2 dogs, or cheering on one of her 3 kids at a soccer or basketball game.
