I ♡ Trademarks NewsletterIssue #450
Bri Van Til | September 23, 2025
Sign up for Alt Legal’s mildly humorous, pun-filled “I ♡ Trademarks” weekly newsletter to stay current on all things trademarks and IP.
Copy(right) That
The Second Circuit has reaffirmed that Vimeo was not liable for infringing Capitol Records’ copyrights when it left lip dub videos on the site. Something about how they waived goodbye to the harbor.
Whether or not they should exist, firms specializing in mass copyright takedowns are a thing, so arming clients to protect themselves always makes for great content!
Did you know that headstones can have copyright protection? I wonder if there are grave implications for infringement. (That joke probably met with a stony silence).
Should people be protected by copyright?
Fraudian Slip
John Squires has been confirmed to lead the USPTO. Read about his positions and priorities here, including his focus on reducing pendency and combatting scams.
The USPTO is investigating the validity of over 1000 trademark applications with “false, fictitious or fraudulent” information. Check out the Show Cause Order here.
To learn all about how USPTO scams have affected people—including attorneys whose identities were stolen and used for filing—check out this powerful webinar recording from last year.
Risky Business
We in the IP world hear a lot about the IP risks associated with AI, and this article addresses some of those as well, but how might AI in the medical field compromise patient safety?
This article is a great AI and IP primer for clients.
AI-produced deepfakes can put celebrities, influencers, and brands at risk. This webinar next year will discuss legal strategies for combatting deepfakes.
Can international pitch competitions be risky for startup founders?
Professional Concerns
I bet this company would love to NBCU soon as a candidate for IP counsel.
If you get the job as senior IP manager, you can help this firm manage their (Arnold &) Porterfolio.
It’d be great if we could Allstate what job we’re looking for and then just be named as the senior manager of client legal services. Well, I guess it’d get pretty crowded if we all did that.
Vitamin Angels has A listing for you to B their general counsel. D-tails are in the listing, zincluding the salary range.
There’s a capital opportunity to work as the VP of patents and IP for Morgan Stanley.
Have an open role on your team? Email us at [email protected], and we’ll try to get it in our next newsletter!
Odds and Ends
The attorney for Claire’s got his ear pierced in court after securing a bankruptcy deal for the store. Does that make him accessorized after the fact?
GM has patented tech that can help determine if someone is too old to drive safely. No news on whether it works on people who are plenty young but who were never good drivers to begin with. You know you know some of those.