.app Top Level Domain Open for Registration
Top level domains were originally limited to .com, .net, .org and a few others. In recent years, ICANN has authorized hundreds of new top level domains. In some cases, these prove useful…
Beware of Misleading Requests for Payment of Trademark Fees
After filing an application to register a trademark, you may receive an official-looking document, either by snail mail or e-mail, that calls for the payment of fees. If this document…
Grumpy Cat: Pet Influencer, Prevailing Plaintiff in Copyright Lawsuit
Tarder Sauce, a/k/a Grumpy Cat, might wear a permanent scowl, but she has reason to be happy today. 710,001 reasons, to be precise. Grumpy Cat soared to fame in 2012,…
Who Knew Fighting Genericide Could Be Such Fun?
It’s hard to believe, but a video made by the legal team at Velcro has gone viral – amassing nearly 300,000 views in less than two days. That means nearly 300,000 people…
Alert: Website Owners Required to Take Action to Benefit From DMCA Safe Harbor
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) Safe Harbor shields certain service providers from liability for copyright infringement committed by third-party users of their services. For example, social media and newspaper…
Alert: New Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Rules Coming January 14, 2017
In October, the Trademark Office issued amendments to the rules of practice before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB). The TTAB oversees, among other things, trademark opposition and cancellation…
TRUMPMARKS: The Latest Trend in Trademarks
The Trademark Office database is more than a helpful record of brands and businesses. It is also a real-time reflection of cultural and political waves sweeping through America, since would-be…
I Called It – 3 US Trademark Applications for BREXIT
On June 23rd, voters in the UK indicated their support of an exit from the European Union. This event has come to be known as “BREXIT” – a coined term…
How Will Brexit Impact Businesses with European Trademarks?
The United Kingdom European Union membership referendum took place on June 23, 2016, resulting in a vote for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union. The referendum will have…
Star Athletica v. Varsity Brands: When Is a Useful Item Copyrightable?
Textile designs are generally copyrightable, but dress designs (the shape, cut and style of garments) are not. A textile design is viewed as a work of art, whereas the shape…
