Filmed Conversation with Celebrity
February 26, 2013
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit recently found that a woman who appears on camera for 16 seconds in an 82-minute documentary film about Joan Alexandra Molinsky Sanger Rosenberg (more commonly known as the comedian Joan Rivers), does not have a right to sue for invasion of privacy and misappropriation of her image under the Wisconsin Right of Privacy statute.
Patentable Software: Will We Know It When We See It?
February 26, 2013
As the pressure mounts and public concern rises, we await further clarification, by Supreme Court or congressional action, as to whether software is patent eligible. In the meantime, patent applicants should hedge against any potential outcome by drafting applications having claim sets that attempt to comply with future adoptable patent eligibility tests.
IP News
January 31, 2013
Highlights of the latest intellectual property cases from around the country.
Factors in Assessing Statutory Damages for Digital Copyright Infringement
January 31, 2013
A recent federal district court award of $6.6 million in statutory damages to music publishers for the unlicensed use of song lyrics by the website LiveUniverse and its operator was hailed as the first of its type for owners of song lyrics, and thus a significant milestone for content owners in the digital era.
The Unitary Patent and Unified Patent Court in a Nutshell
January 31, 2013
On Dec. 11, 2012, European Union Ministers in charge of competitiveness issues endorsed a legal package to create a Unitary Patent, which provides uniform legal protection in 25 European countries. On the same day, the Members of the European Parliament approved the European Union patent package including a Unitary Patent and Unified Patent Court.
Sunbeam Eclipsed
January 29, 2013
A recent decision of the Seventh Circuit, <i>Sunbeam Prods. v. Chi. Am. Mfg., LLC</i>, has been viewed by many, including the authors of this article, as signaling a potential trend in favor of non-debtor licensees of intellectual property.
IP News
December 21, 2012
Highlights of the latest intellectual property news from around the country.
'Buckyballs' Lawsuit May Limit Use of Celebrity Name
December 21, 2012
Advertisers and marketers should watch <i>The Estate of Buckminster Fuller v. Maxfield & Oberton Holdings, LLC</i> closely to see what limits may exist on their use of a name that has ties to a celebrity as well as a separate object.
