A few years ago we were approached by an online nutraceutical company to assist them in the enforcement of their trademarked product lines. The company came to us after a prolonged period of watching their monthly sales decline and finally suspecting that one of their competitors was somehow stealing some of their customers. More specifically, over […]
Did you know you can use your federally registered copyrights and trademarks to block the importation of infringing goods from entering the U.S.? In 2012 the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) made 22,848 intellectual property rights seizures with a manufacturer’s suggested retail value of $1.26 billion. Could this be affecting your business? Most intellectual […]
Marketing Agencies have an incredibly difficult job. They are tasked with creating logos, slogans, and campaigns that will instantly grab the attention of the consumer, hold it, and allow them then to pitch their clients’ wares ultimately concluding in a sale or greater brand recognition. However, many marketers are unaware of the need to insure […]
Did you know that there are generally three areas of intellectual property law in the United States: Copyrights, Patents, and Trademarks? Did you know that 2 out of 3 of these areas of law can work to jewelers’ benefit to protect not only their brands but the individual designs of their jewelry? Many jewelers are […]
Many years ago we represented a Belgium chocolatier who had built a reputation for producing the finest chocolate in the world. But, as they soon found out, often the sweet taste of success is followed by the bitter realization that others will try and capitalize off of your hard work and dedication. As fate would […]
Recently the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“TTAB”) cancelled the federal trademark registrations for the NFL’s Washington Redskins on the grounds that they violate Section 2(a) of The Trademark Act of 1946. Specifically, the Redskins’ trademarks were cancelled under Section 2(a) because, in the eyes of TTAB, the […]
Starting your own business can be one of the greatest joys in life. But for first-time entrepreneurs it can be an endeavor filled with unexpected challenges and potential pitfalls. It’s more than just opening a store or posting a web site and beginning to sell your goods or services. It is complying with legal requirements, obtaining financing, and […]
Yes, I’m a lawyer. But I promise (Scout’s honor) that you can trust what I’m about to tell you: Your business needs to protect its trademarks. You may be saying to yourself, “Look at this attorney trying to drum up more business for himself and his brethren attorneys. How original.” But my motivation is steeped […]
The mail comes and you notice a letter from a law firm you don’t recognize. You open the letter hoping for the best but fearing the worst. The letter begins “We represent the ABC Company in the protection of their intellectual property rights. It has recently come to our client’s attention that you are using a trademark […]
Grand chocolatier Nestle recently won a trademark battle with rival confectioner Cadbury. The case was about the unique shape of Nestle’s famed Kit Kat bar. The case began years ago when Nestle sought to register the four-fingered shape of the Kit Kat bar as a trademark in the European Union (EU). In 2002, the Office […]
