Alt Legal IP News – Issue #255
Bri Van Til | August 31, 2021
Oh Canada
Does Canada require use of a trademark before registration? What are the key differentiators between US and Canadian trademarks? Come to our webinar on Thursday to answer find out!
Canadian ISP TekSavvy is asking the Canadian Supreme Court to determine whether they’re required to block customers from viewing copyright-infringing content.
CIPO is experiencing significant delays in processing trademark applications; it’s expected that the wait time for first examinations is 16 to 32 months.
Eat It Up
Was the design of this Campbell’s soup dispenser obvious? Was it soupremely so? Let’s (chicken) noodle on that for a while.
McDonald’s has filed a McOpposition to an application to trademark MCFUNGI.
Viacom is suing a Spongebob-themed restaurant for trademark infringement. I guess its existence made them krabby. I wonder who’ll have the last Squidward about the situation.
I Wouldn’t Promote That
Is Fortnite’s use of dances appropriation? Is it copyright infringement?
An Arizona court has ruled in favor of women whose faces appeared in advertising for a bar, finding that the use invaded their privacy and misappropriated their personal brands.
There’s often little that brand owners can do about who buys or uses their products or how they come to be associated, as evidenced by all the images of the Taliban driving Toyotas.
Professional Concerns
Firm for the Culture founder Ruky Tijani—whom those of you who know her know is anything but a rookie, despite her name—is looking for an Executive Assistant, so spread the word.
Don’t gamble your career on a job you don’t love; be associate counsel for The Gardens Casino.
Sony Pictures—which would be even better if it were Pony Pictures instead—wants you to stop horsing around and apply to be their IP counsel. Objections? Neigh.
Is your current job just average? Maybe you should be commercial counsel for Dow Jones.
Form an airtight plan to get a new job: apply to be associate counsel at Tupperware.
I’d imagine that being counsel for The New York Power Authority would be an empowering role.
Even if you insist that your current job isn’t that bad, maybe this job as contracts counsel at Black Knight would be better.
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
If you don’t have your ticket for Alt Legal Connect yet, buy it today. Prices go up tomorrow, friends! Go here to purchase your ticket, and use the code “newsletter” for a discount.
What are your options if someone posts fake reviews of your products or services?
Here’s a seminar about international trademark practice. If you’re interested in international trademarks, make sure to join us for this session at Alt Legal Connect and this webinar in October.