Alt Legal IP News – Issue # 190
Bri Van Til | May 27, 2020
The Next Normal
– As businesses reopen, some are conducting temperature checks to keep feverish individuals off the premises, but what are the legal concerns with such policies?
– Workers looking after children and family members are especially struggling in this tough time. Here are some ways to help the caregivers on your team.
– Update: the contact tracking software we mentioned was in production a few weeks ago has been released, but some have privacy concerns.
Show Business
– Here are some lessons Kim Kardashian and Prince William can teach us about remote oral arguments.
– A marine biologist alleges that comedian Ricky Gervais’s book Flanimals infringes on his own book Captain Pottie’s Wildlife Encyclopedia, which he alleges he submitted to Gervais’s representatives.
– The Second Circuit upheld the dismissal of writer-director Christian Charles’s copyright suit against Jerry Seinfeld. Charles alleged that Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee was his idea, but his claim, “filed six years later, was brought too late,” the Court noted.
– Idris Elba has filed trademark applications for COUPLEDOM and S’ABLE LABS, respectively a podcast and personal care line he is developing with his wife.
– Michael Moore’s controversial Planet of the Humans has been removed from YouTube because of allegations of copyright infringement.
On the Catwalk
– Lucky got lucky in Lucky Brand Dungarees v. Marcel Fashion Group when the Supreme Court found in its favor, reinstating its release defense and skirting the issue of a res judicata defense preclusion.
– The USPTO has rejected Puma’s trademark application for PUMA TOKYO 2021.
– A customer is suing Old Navy for deceptive advertising because she alleges items are shown as marked down from a price that they’ve never actually been listed for.
– Clippers player Kawhi Leonard lost a suit he brought against Nike for using his Klaw logo and may be forced to pay Nike’s legal fees as part of a counterclaim.
Professional Concerns
– We got the Intel that this tech company is looking for a director of legal investigations, this big retailer is Targeting director counsel, and a little birdie told us Twitter wants product counsel.
– Whitman Breed—which is a law firm, not a bakery (Oh wait, that’d be White Bread. Nevermind.)—is looking for a corporate associate.
– Mars is looking for intellectual property counsel. I bet that’d be a sweet gig.
– One great way to establish your expertise, grow your firm, and get free media attention is to establish a niche. Come join Caroline Fox to learn how to find your own legal niche and use that to generate revenue for your firm.
– 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 podcast discusses confidentiality and data security requirements firms should keep in mind while employees are working remotely.
– How can individuals negotiate with large companies to maximize profits when selling their IP?
– Update: the Florida man who tried to trademark PENN STATE NITTANY BEER has been ordered to pay almost $10k and is still facing lawsuits from the University.
– In case you missed Stefanie Marrone’s webinar about marketing your firm’s services in this strange time, you can catch the recording here.
– Join us on Thursday at 5 ET for our weekly virtual happy hour!