Linda Joy Kattwinkel might be the only attorney in San Francisco who displays pink and white “Hello Kitty” bongs in her office. “These are clearly all illicit, counterfeit products,” says the visual artist turned intellectual property lawyer who represents Japan’s Sanrio Co. and helps police unlicensed uses of its inexplicably cute cartoon cat and other characters like Gudetama (“Lazy Egg”).
The Owen, Wickersham & Erickson lawyer recently spoke to The Recorder about her path from artist to attorney and the challenges presented by the Internet’s desire to share everything.
