Trademark scammers abound in the marketplace. Their aim: to defraud legitimate trademark owners who have taken the time to register their trademarks with the USPTO. I have warned clients and potential clients for years about these scams. Recently, one scammer was...
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney
Library of Congress National Book Festival
Do you like reading books? Do you prefer the smell of a page to the glow of a Kindle? Then you might be interested in the National Book Festival scheduled for September 17-26, 2021. The Library of Congress hosts this annual festival, and it is a wonderful event to...
Bona Fide Intent in the Future for Joy Tea and CBD
More states throughout the country are legalizing cannabidiol (“CBD”), a chemical component of the cannabis plant used for medicinal and recreational purposes. You can find it in balms, supplements, drinks, and food. A question regarding trademark has come up in the...
Questions to Help You Build a Trademark Application Strategy
Thinking about filing a trademark application for your business’s logo or name? Do you have a strategy for success? Or is your plan to slap together an application and pray for success? If you want to be successful in obtaining a trademark registration, it usually...
Yes, There Really Is a Trademark Battle over “Kentucky” Going On
You probably intuitively know that state names are closely intertwined with the universities and athletic teams that reside within them. It is also understandable that the state itself (the government) might want to use the state name for branding efforts. Because of...
Checklist: What to Do When You Receive a Cease-and-Desist Letter
You just received a cease-and-desist letter from a law firm in New York accusing you of trademark and copyright infringement. Your anxiety spikes. What do you do? Consult this checklist of nine steps you should take to protect your business and personal assets: In...
TikTok, Dance Creators, and Copyright Complications
Even if you do not have an account on TikTok, you have likely heard of the social media platform. After all, it became the most-downloaded app in 2020 after then-President Trump attempted to ban it. Users love the platform because of how easy it is for people to share...
You Say “Louis,” I Say “Chewy”: Distinguishing Tarnishment from Blurring
Written By Guest Author, Marks Gray Summer Law Clerk Corrine H. Bowden What do Louis Vuitton luxury handbags have in common with “Chewy Vuiton” dog toys? According to the Fourth Circuit, not enough. The court’s November 2007 ruling in favor of the underdog in Louis...