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Alt Legal Blog

Your source for news, updates and guidance on all things trademarks and intellectual property.

Alt Legal IP News – Issue # 182

Bri Van Til | March 31, 2020
2 min read

Deadlines

– The CARES Act signed into law on Friday gives the USPTO the power to modify patent and trademark deadlines, but it is not yet clear what policies they’ll implement as a result.

– CIPO is delaying document orders and has automatically extended deadlines for IP filings, and the UKIPO has instituted “uninterrupted days,” meaning all deadlines from March 24th have been extended.

– This is a handy overview of how IP offices throughout the world are managing deadlines related to the coronavirus pandemic.

– Does the coronavirus epidemic mean nonuse of a trademark is excusable?

Cashing In

– Check out this in-depth analysis of COVID-19 trademark applications, including a quotation from Tamara Pester.

– The WHO is asking companies to volunteer their IP to fight COVID-19, and there have been numerous calls for companies developing COVID-19 treatments and vaccines to forego IP protectionMany scientists and researches have created a pledge to do so.

– A team from MIT has created a design for a low-cost, open-source ventilator, and Medtronic is giving away its ventilator design specs and software.

– The FDA is actively cracking down on products claiming to prevent or treat coronavirus, but it has also instituted temporary measures to relax restrictions on alcohol production for hand sanitizers.

In Case You’re Missing Sports…

– The Masters’ Golf Tournament has successfully trademarked its Green Jacket.

– The 2020 Olympics have been postponed, but they’re keeping the name “Tokyo 2020,” and all its associated trademarks.

– Tom Brady has submitted a trademark application for TB x TB. Will his hopes be deflated?

– A federal judge has found that LeBron James has the right to license out his own likeness, including that of his tattoos.

Professional Concerns

– The Fashion Institute of Technology is looking for counsel. Contact them if you think you’re a good FIT.

– Avery Dennison needs IP counsel (not sure if that’s what they’ll label you or not). Black Diamond Therapeutics needs a vice president and head of legal and IP.

– Google needs a project manager for their Legal Operations team, and JCrew is looking for a legal intern.

– Microsoft is looking for an attorney manager, and I predict that you might be interested in being counsel at Oracle, but DocuSign wants legal counsel to sign up to work for them.

– Have an open role on your team? Send a link to your job listing to community@altlegal.com, and we’ll publish it in our next newsletter.

Odds and Ends

– This nontraditional trademark application for a street-performing tour company may have been refused registration, but it’s still fun.

– With in-person oral argument hearings in many jurisdictions suspended, some appeals courts are deciding cases without hearing oral arguments.

– The USPTO launched the “Expanding Innovation Hub,” an online platform intended to promote inventor diversity.

– There’s been a lot of cool, futuristic technology patented and/or released recently.

– Reminder: we have a Webinar with Dan Lear of Gravity Payments tomorrow at 12:30 EST, and don’t forget to join us for our trademark practitioner virtual happy hour on Thursday at 5 EST.

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