A blog focusing on brand issues, trademark, copyright, advertising and more.
By: John Wilks and Ella Castle
Continuing their focus on the online gambling sector during lockdown, the UK Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) have published an Advice Note to all GB-licensed gambling operators in relation…
Continue Reading UK: ADS ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR E-SPORTS BETTING COME UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
By Keith Medansky, Michael Geller, Ed Chatterton, Niels Mulder, Melinda Upton and Leigh Martin
While the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) remains open, on March 31, 2020, the USPTO announced certain deadlines may be eligible for an extension if a party cannot meet its obligations due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. Specific deadlines falling between March 27, 2020 and April 30, 2020 may be extended to 30 days from the initial due date if the ultimate filing is accompanied by a statement that the delay in filing or payment was due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Acceptable reasons for a delay in filing or payment include that the trademark owner or its attorney, or another person associated with the filing, was personally affected by the virus outbreak, including, without limitation, “office closures, cash flow interruptions, inaccessibility of files or other materials, travel delays, personal or family illness, or similar circumstances, such that the outbreak materially interfered” with the filing or payment.
By: Melinda Upton, Jessie Buchan, Valiant Warzecha, and Alexandra Moore
The Federal Court of Australia (FCA) recently handed down its decision in the case that all Australian burger lovers have…
Continue Reading AUSTRALIAN BURGER CHAIN BITES OFF MORE THAN IT CAN CHEW: LEARNINGS FOR FOREIGN BRAND OWNERS FROM IN-N-OUT BURGERS, INC V HASHTAG BURGERS PTY LTD & ORS [2020] FCA 193
By: Michael Geller
The USPTO has shifted course on a new rule which required applicants and registrants to provide a company-monitored email address for trademark filings. The USPTO’s new rule met strong criticism from various…
Continue Reading UPDATE: USPTO REVERSES COURSE ON EMAIL ADDRESS RULES
By: Michael Geller
In yet another new rule change, starting February 15, 2020, the US Patent and Trademark Office will require that all applicants, registrants and TTAB parties provide an email address for the party…
Continue Reading NEW USPTO RULES REQUIRE FILERS PROVIDE AN INTERNAL EMAIL ADDRESS
By Aislinn Smalling and Carissa Bouwer
The increasing popularity of cannabis products has led to decriminalization and legalization of marijuana in many states and a proliferation of products containing CBD oil. But marijuana remains illegal…
Continue Reading TRADEMARKING CBD PRODUCTS: NEW GUIDELINES FOR REGISTRATIONS
By: Michael Geller
A new rule from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office imposes a substantial new requirement on companies and individuals outside of the U.S. Starting August 3, foreign applicants and registrants must be…
Continue Reading NEW USPTO RULE REQUIRES FOREIGN PARTIES TO HAVE A U.S. ATTORNEY
By: John Nading
The U.S. Supreme Court issued its most recent decision yesterday picking away at the same clause of the Lanham Act, Section 2(a), 15 U.S.C. § 1052(a), and this time finding that the…
Continue Reading F-*-C-T – U.S. SUPREME COURT STRIKES DOWN BAN ON REGISTRATION OF IMMORAL OR SCANDALOUS MARKS
BY EDWARD CHATTERTON, HORACE LAM AND JOANNE ZHANG
On 23 April 2019 China passed amendments to two major IP laws -the Trademark Law and the Anti-Unfair Competition Law (…
Continue Reading TOP 10 IP DEVELOPMENTS IN CHINA
On Monday, May 20, 2019, the United States Supreme Court issued an 8-1 decision holding that a bankrupt company’s decision to reject an existing license of its trademarks does not terminate a licensee’s right to …
Continue Reading Supreme Court: Trademark Owners Cannot Reject Licenses in Bankruptcy
