Alt Legal IP News – Issue #37
Hannah Samendinger | May 09, 2017
You can now subscribe to our podcast, Alt Trademarks, on iTunes and Google Play. Our latest episode features Jenny Odegard and Nakia Hansen of Odegard Law in Brooklyn, NY. We discuss designing a practice for creative clients and the legal challenges facing influencers.
Eat It Up
– Starbucks’ Unicorn frappuccino has already caused baristas quite the headache. And now Starbucks is being sued by a Brooklyn coffee shop for allegedly stealing the idea for the drink.
– Wonder Bread is taking on Wonder Woman after DC Comics attempted to trademark the superhero name in connection with food products. See the mark here and the TTAB proceeding here.
– Walmart is following in the footsteps of Amazon Dash, filing a patent application for a product that would automatically reorder your groceries for you.
– A strawberry scientist is being sued over the fruits of his research.
– A North Dakota distillery has won the fight to use Glen in their scotch name, despite concerns from the makers of Glenlivet.
You Made That?
– Last week I linked to an article about the rise in IP related to fidget spinners. The inventor had a patent on the product for 8 years, until she couldn’t afford to pay the renewal fee.
– The inventor of the hoverboard isn’t bitter about his many copycats.
– A student was sued for using a stock photo in an ad mockup, seven years after he created the ad.
– Patent applications reveal that Snapchat is getting in on the augmented reality craze.
– Soon drones will embrace the concept of teamwork.
A Changing Landscape
– Alexa learned a new trick: “Alexa, track my time.”
– Singapore’s patent office just launched a $1 billion innovation fund. Why? India is also looking to make the patent filing process easier for startups.
– John Oliver took on the FCC and their plans for net neutrality. He (and his viewers) also took down the FCC site.
– Shockingly, a lawyer who responded to his client’s Facebook inquiries with “relax” has been suspended.
Odds and Ends
– The Acting Solicitor General has weighed in on copyright law in the Prince case currently before the Supreme Court.
– Here is an interesting read on how nerdy t-shirts continue to exist amongst the web of existing IP rights.
– Appellate briefs were filed in the monkey selfie case.
– Hackers are stealing celebrities’ IP by exploiting weak links in their vendor chains.
– To get you in the Mother’s Day spirit, here are 10 trademark cases about Yo Mama.