Social Media SmackDown: Elton John, Dolce & Gabbana, The First Amendment and a Brand in Peril
Dolce & Gabanna is a famous Italian fashion house, founded thirty years ago by Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. The company has been a significant player in the fashion industry…
The Lines Just Got Blurrier for Musicians
I have previously discussed the Marvin Gaye and Robin Thicke/Pharrell Williams copyright dispute over the song “Blurred Lines”. Earlier this week, matters got considerably worse for the funk duo: a…
New Copyright Case Highlights Issues Relevant to Photographers
Photographers are often disturbed to find that they are without a meaningful remedy when their work is infringed, because they didn’t register the copyright in their photographs. Infringement of a…
Top 5 Mistakes Brand Owners Make When Filing Their Own Trademark Applications
Entrepreneurs often choose not to spend money on legal fees as they are launching their businesses. Understandably, budgets are tight in a company’s early days, and when faced with the…
Trademark Profiteering
Trademark Profiteering: Can LET’S ROLL, BOSTON STRONG, I CAN’T BREATHE and JE SUIS CHARLIE be registered as trademarks? Let’s Roll. Boston Strong. I Can’t Breathe. Je Suis Charlie. Besides being…
Charlie Hebdo and The First Amendment
A few weeks ago, I wrote a piece about the November Sony cyber attack, and that company’s decision to cancel the theatrical release of the film The Interview in response…
The Interview: Cyber Attacks and The First Amendment
The fallout from a massive cyber attack on Sony in November escalated tremendously this week. After exposing embarrassing emails and confidential company information, stealing the screenplay for an upcoming James…
Frozen – An IP Fairy Tale
Disney’s Frozen – An Intellectual Property Fairy Tale On this especially cold day in the Northeast, my thoughts are on the coming winter. And winter reminds me of the cold,…
Trademark Prosecution 101
Owning a United States trademark registration for a brand confers a number of benefits. This article will help you understand what to consider and what to expect as you select,…
Gaye Don’t Got To Give It Up
Years before I was a lawyer, I saw Vanilla Ice on The Tonight Show. Jay Leno asked whether his song, Ice Ice Baby (listen to seconds 8-24) sounds like David…
