I ♡ Trademarks NewsletterIssue #347
Bri Van Til | August 01, 2023
IP Primers
Check out this quick primer of the different types of licensing agreements.
This long overview of the overlap between antitrust issues and intellectual property seeks to explain the middle ground between exclusive rights and competition.
Here’s a good example of a client-focused primer from a UK firm. It explains what IP litigation is, how to avoid it, and what to do when it happens.
Shoe Fits
The Vans v. Walmart case is putting last month’s Abitron extraterritoriality ruling to the test.
Adidas is projected to lose significantly less money on its Yeezy shoes since the company has decided to sell its existing inventory of the shoes and donate a lot of the proceeds to charity.
A USPTO trademark examiner initially rejected Nike’s trademark application for SNKRS—for shoes, not candy bars, in case you’re curious—for being generic, but TTAB has overturned the decision, allowing the mark to proceed to publication.
Going to Battle
After its trademark battle with EasyJet, EasyFly is rebranding to Clic. Do you think their marketing will include articles with catchy headlines and very little substance?
This New Zealand battle between Bed Bath & Beyond and Bed Bath ‘N’ Table is a reminder of the importance of preexisting rights.
What type of company is most prone—and most vulnerable—to patent litigation from Non-Practicing Entities? Also, did you know that around 60% of patent litigation last year was filed by NPEs?
Jerry Falwell’s Family Trust is suing Liberty University—the evangelist university the notorious pastor founded—for alleged trademark infringement.
Hulk Hogan has bought the trademark rights to his name, and his detailing of the events surrounding the purchase transported me straight back to the ’90s.
Professional Concerns
Feeling Alienated at your current job? Consider working as IP counsel at this tech company instead!
If you’re ready to walk out on your current job, swing on by this site to apply to be IP counsel for Major League Baseball.
Does your career need a metamorphosis? Consider applying to be trademark and copyright counsel at Caterpillar.
Tired of having to (Spencer) Fane interest in your job? Maybe you should be an IP paralegal at this firm instead!
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
A jury has awarded CoComelon over $23 million in its copyright infringement suit against BabyBus.
The 9th Circuit ruled that geographical considerations matter in subpoenas, even if the testimony is to be remote.
A group of 18 intellectual property law professors has filed a brief in a trademark infringement case filed by Penn State. The professors declared: “trademark law has gone awry.”
If you missed our webinar about protecting brands from counterfeit imports, check out the recording here.