Columns & Departments
Podcast: Crypto's Rocky IP Future
Listen in on a post-webinar chat on "The Crypto Landscape: Post-FTX," with Blockchain Legal LLP partner Aaron Krowne and counsel Ali Derie, along with veteran entertainment industry lawyer Eric S. Goldman, about cryptocurrency's rocky recent past (and present) as well as its still-promising, if uncertain, future.
Features
Is Trademark Protection Going to the Dogs?
The Ninth Circuit held in VIP Prods. LLC v. Jack Daniel's Properties that VIP's "Bad Spaniels" dog toy mimicking the appearance of a Jack Daniels whisky bottle was protected expression under the First Amendment. The Supreme Court granted cert in November 2022 to consider the principal question whether humorous use of another's mark on a commercial product should be assessed under Rogers or the traditional multipart test of likelihood of confusion.
Columns & Departments
Bit Parts
COVID-19 Insurance Coverage Affirmed for Cancellation of Tina Turner Musical MTV Floribama Shore Overcomes Trademark Infringement Claim New York Appellate Division Reinstates Lawsuit Alleging Misappropriation of Reality TV Concept Ninth Circuit Affirms Film Clip In Talent Acting Reel Was Fair Use
Features
Recent Trademark In Titles Cases Show 'High Bar' for Proving Public Was 'Explicitly Misled'
When it comes to expressive content, disputes over trademark rights in titles of creative works are commonly fought under the federal Lanham Act. Many of these battles play out in courts in the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which has well-developed legal guidelines on the subject
Features
Can Consumer Products Be 'Expressive Works'?
In a case that may have significant implications for the ability of mark holders to enforce their marks against many types of products, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit is now considering whether consumer products such as sneakers can be considered "expressive works" to which First Amendment protections can apply.
Features
New Decisions In Disputes Over Titles Reinforce 'High Bar' In Proving Public Was 'Explicitly Misled'
When it comes to expressive content, disputes over trademark rights in titles of creative works are commonly fought under the federal Lanham Act. Many of these battles play out in courts in the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which has well-developed legal guidelines on the subject — many of them from lawsuits that have arisen in the entertainment industry.
Features
WTF? The Board Weighs In on Failure to Function Refusals
Many trademark practitioners have noted the USPTO's recent penchant for issuing refusals to register trademarks on the ground of failure to function as a trademark. The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board picked a colorful case to set precedent and provide some initial guidance on how it will evaluate failure-to-function refusals going forward.
Columns & Departments
IP News
Federal Circuit: Trade Dress Imitation In the Ninth Circuit
Features
Federal Judge Takes Aim at Legal Process for Targeting Counterfeit Merchandisers
The rebound in concert tours and ticket revenues as 2022 has unfolded gives the live events industry hope for a strong 2023, too. For many tours, though, it's income from merchandise that makes the tour profitable. Thus, the rise in the number of artists touring also means a parallel resurgence in the activities of counterfeit-merchandise sellers and renewed efforts by the industry to battle its long-time problem with the sale of counterfeit merchandise near event venues.
Features
IP Rights In the Metaverse
The metaverse, an immersive virtual experience building on the Internet and the physical world, has become a prominent force in branding and marketing for companies struggling to keep up in an ever so globalized economy. Parallel to this digital expansion has been a surge of intellectual property issues.
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