U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USTPO) recently inducted 19 of the country’s greatest inventors (nine of which are still living) into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. The gala event, held at the National...
Month: June 2019
A refresher on fair use
Fair use is often cited, but many may not have a clear idea of what it is. In short, fair use is a pragmatic doctrine that allows the use of portions of a copyrighted work without approval from the copyright owner or creator. Typically, this use is done with a good...
Trademark Registration Guidelines for Goods and Services Related to Hemp
While avoiding guidance on cannabis-related trademarks, a few weeks ago, the USPTO issued guidelines to clarify its position on trademarks related to "hemp" products and goods derived therefrom.To register a trademark with the USPTO, use of the mark in commerce must...
Iron Maiden screams trademark infringement over video game
For many, being portrayed in a video game would be the ultimate sign of "making it." But if you have enjoyed tremendous success already, and someone attempts to profit from your success by putting you - or a likeness of you - in a video game without your consent, that...
Photographers win two recent copyright appeals
Photographers face many challenges in the digital era, none more significant than having their works copied and repurposed without approval. In the two cases discussed below, the photographers took their infringement cases to court and initially lost. According to...
White House calls for crackdown on counterfeit goods
The White House issued a memorandum on April 3 warning consumers about counterfeit and pirated goods. It focused on third party web sites, marketplaces and intermediaries that traffic in counterfeit and pirated goods. These include sites such as Alibaba, eBay and...
Three steps for evaluating tech patent applications
It is important to understand the implications of technology patents for real-world applications. A thorough evaluation by experienced intellectual-property counsel can uncover ways to use a patent that the owner may not have been previously considered.Three levels of...