If you are in the IP world or have been following this blog for any length of time, you have probably heard me talk about INTA, the International Trademark Association. I typically attend their annual meeting, and like to write about my experiences and what I learn...
Trademark
Hiring? Protect the Public – and Your Business – from Domain Name Abuse
If you have a business, it is almost guaranteed these days that you also have a website. The name people type into their browser to find your website? That is your domain name. Broadly speaking, most businesses in the US are at businessname.com. You likely know that....
Cubaexport Barred from Suing Bacardi Due to Trade Embargo
On the list of things that can potentially prevent your trademark infringement lawsuit from going forward, a “trade embargo” probably is not very high. But that is precisely why Cuban company Cubaexport was prevented from suing Bacardi in the U.S. From the outside,...
Is the Second Time the Charm for Beyoncé and JayZ to Trademark BLUE IVY CARTER?
Back in 2012, Beyoncé and JayZ attempted to get a trademark for the name of their daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, not long after her birth. Their reason? The Carters did not want people profiting off of their little girl’s name and saw the trademark registration as a means...
Jury Awards Teen Pop Group OMG Girlz $71.5 Million in IP Lawsuit with Toy Maker Over L.O.L. Dolls
MGA Entertainment has been ordered to pay a hefty $71.5 million in damages to Tameka “Tiny” Harris, her husband T.I., and the teen pop group OMG Girlz. The verdict in the IP lawsuit follows a three-week trial that accused the toy makers of stealing the looks, name,...
Court Calls Out Nike for Trademark Infringement
A small Pennsylvania-based company, Lontex, is taking on Nike over a trademark infringement claim. Lontex specializes in compression technology for sportswear, marketed under the Sweat It Out brand. They developed a unique line of clothing featuring “Cool...
An AI Tool By Any Other Name… Would Have Circumvented This Lawsuit against Google for Trademark Infringement
A long-standing trend of the tech world is “industry disruption,” which often takes the form of taking action first and dealing with legal consequences later, whether that is new regulations to contain Uber and Lyft or judicial rulings reigning in trademark...
Why Did Prime Hydration’s New Drink Result in a Lawsuit from the Olympic Committee?
Every time the Olympics come around, they become the focus of the whole world. Literally billions of people watch broadcasts of the games, and people everywhere are excited to show support for their country’s athletes. All of this attention means that businesses...