Mark Traphagen

Mark Traphagen serves as a Professorial Lecturer in Law at the George Washington University Law School, where he teaches international and comparative intellectual property law. He concurrently operates as principal of Traphagen Law PLLC, specializing in copyright, trademark, entertainment, sports, advertising, privacy, and data security law.

His academic foundation includes a BA from the University of Dayton and a JD from the University of Denver. Professor Traphagen is recognized as the U.S. contributing author to the seminal legal treatise Copyright Throughout the World.

His professional focus centers on intellectual property frameworks with international dimensions, particularly copyright and trademark systems. His expertise spans entertainment law, sports law, digital advertising regulations, and emerging data protection challenges in global contexts. This specialization stems from direct involvement in shaping major international agreements.

Early career milestones include positions at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and Finnegan Henderson LLP. He represented the Software and Information Industry Association during pivotal WIPO Copyright Treaty negotiations and Digital Millennium Copyright Act enactments. His advisory work extended to WTO TRIPS Agreement implementation and U.S. Trade Representative Special 301 reviews concerning global intellectual property standards.