Mario Vasta works in our business litigation and intellectual property practice groups. He focuses primarily on civil litigation, including resolving business, contract, and real estate disputes. He also represents clients in domestic and international intellectual property litigation matters, including dealing with trademark and copyright issues, cancellation and opposition actions before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and counterfeiting issues. Mario is also the go-to attorney for companies battling scam artists trying to use confusingly-similar website names to divert customers and disrupt business. He navigates through legal and administrative processes to take down these imposters, while protecting his clients’ vital brands. In keeping with our proud history in natural resources, Mario’s practice also includes water rights litigation, and his work on behalf of farmers in eastern Arizona has legal precedents dating back to the 1920s.

At the early age of 12, Mario knew he wanted to be an attorney. Mario consistently honed his reading, writing and public speaking skills with his eye on becoming the first attorney in his family. Raised in Upstate New York, he always knew he wanted to head out West. After graduating from Cornell University, Mario drove his Pontiac to Phoenix, Arizona, where he graduated first in his class at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. Feeling like he found his true calling as a business litigation attorney, Mario takes great satisfaction in working with clients to creatively and efficiently resolve all types of disputes.

When he is not busy helping clients, Mario is usually spending family time with his three sons and Australian cattle dog. He recharges his batteries in the great outdoors with activities like hiking and kayaking. An avid reader, Mario collects books (physical ones!) and his home library includes a wide range of scientific and historical nonfiction titles – plus the occasional science-fiction novel.

• J.D., summa cum laude, Arizona State University, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
• B.A., Cornell University

OTHER EXPERIENCE

• Intellectual Property

• Best Lawyers in America®, Ones to Watch – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Intellectual Property, 2023 and 2024
• Southwest Rising Stars^®, Business Litigation, 2022-2024

• Author, “2 copyright pitfalls businesses should consider before profiting from famous art in the public domain,” Phoenix Business Journal, April 1, 2024
• Featuring, “A Special Father’s Day Edition Of “Thursday Thoughts” With Mario Vasta,” Fennemore Blog, June 15, 2023
• Author, “Need to Know: Intellectual Property. Attorneys help businesses stay on top of social and regulatory changes,” inBusiness, July 12, 2022
• Author, “Domain Hijackers Prey on Business Websites,” inBusiness Greater Phoenix, July 2022
• Quoted, “Could Arts District become ‘blank slate?’ Concerns grow after one mural’s destruction,” Fox 5, June 1, 2022
• Author, “Legal Perspective: Protecting your business website from fraudsters looking to hijack your clients,” Tucson Business, May 23, 2022
• Author, “How to protect your business from fraudsters,” Phoenix Business Journal, May 10, 2022
• Quoted, “Feds Seek Win For Ariz. Apache Tribe In Gila River Water War,” Law360, March 7, 2022
• Co-author, “Troll Control – Reactions to Copyright Trolls | Part Two,” Fennemore Client Alert, May 27, 2021
• Co-author, “Troll Control – Reactions to Copyright Trolls | Part One,” Fennemore Client Alert, May 20, 2021
• Co-author, “There is no such thing as a permanent golf course view. Or is there?” Arizona Attorney Magazine, October 1, 2020
• Co-author, “Protection for Street Art on Buildings,” Fennemore Client Alert, September 2, 2020
• Quoted, “Business Briefcase,” Peoria Times, May 21, 2020

• Arizona
• U.S. District Court District of Arizona
• U.S. Court of Appeals Ninth Circuit