Barks, Justen S.

Justen S. Barks is a commercial, intellectual property, and entertainment litigator. His experience in the courtroom helps his clients in their various transaction needs. For his commercial clients, he provides work in the form of risk management counselling, litigation in state and federal courts, mediation, contract drafting and negotiation. His intellectual property practice includes a mix of work with the U.S. Trademark Office, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, the U.S. Copyright Office, and copyright, patent, and trademark litigation.

Mr. Barks was trained by some of the best instructors in the music industry, and has practical experience in all aspects of the entertainment industry. He helps his entertainment clients by counseling the creation and retention of royalty streams, drafting and negotiating film, book, and music industry agreements, and litigation in the areas of entertainment and media, including copyright infringement, management agreements, and claims under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

In addition to his work as an attorney with Beard & Barks PLLC, Mr. Barks is an adjunct professor of law at the University of Houston Law Center, where he teaches a course on entertainment law (2014 to present). He is also a curator for ReverbNation in the area of electronic and dance music. Mr. Barks also donates his time pro bono to the Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the arts. He has been named to the annual list of Top Lawyers in Houston for his entertainment practice by Houstonia Magazine each year from 2016-18.