Communications & Media Law › Business Torts › Intellectual Property

California To Draw The Lines In Disparagement Liability

The California Supreme Court has granted review of the Court of Appeal’s decision in Hartford Casualty Insurance Company v. Swift Distribution, Inc., 210 Cal. App. 4th 915 (2d Dist. Ct. App. Oct. 29, 2012), review granted 152...more

What’s Really in your Beer Name: Trademark Protection for Craft Brewing Companies and Their Beers

Besides the unique taste of your beer, what more than anything else helps your consumers remember the source of that fantastic beer? Obviously, your company name and probably also the name of your beer. With hundreds of...more

Boarding School Review, LLC v. Delta Career Education Corp.

Order GRANTING Plaintiff's Motion to Dismiss Pursuant to FRCP 12(b)(6)

Plaintiff operates a website called Community College Review. It received multiple cease and desist letters, which escalated in the severity of their threats, from counsel for certain institutions about which routine,...more

IP/Entertainment Law Weekly Case Update for Motion Picture Studios and Television Networks -- March 28, 2013

In This Issue: - Kirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., U.S. Supreme Court, March 19, 2013: In a 6-to-3 decision with far-reaching implications, U.S. Supreme Court holds that copyright “first sale” doctrine...more

How Much "Competition", If Any, Is Required to Establish Standing in Lanham Act False Advertising Cases—the Supreme Court May Be...

Lanham Act false advertising law is largely consistent among the various federal circuit courts. However, one area of Lanham Act jurisprudence where the federal appellate courts do not see eye-to-eye concerns who has standing...more

IP/Entertainment Law Weekly Case Update for Motion Picture Studios and Television Networks -- March 14, 2013

In This Issue: - Gibson Guitar Corp. v. Viacom International, Inc., USDC C.D. California, March 8, 2013: District court grants Viacom’s motion to dismiss plaintiff’s Lanham Act and related state law claims for...more

Business Law Newsletter - January 2013

In This Issue: - Written Contracts and the Statute of Limitations...Page 1 - Website Owners: Who is Liable for Third Party Postings on Your Website?...Page 2 - Business Tort Brings Sanctions...Page 3 -...more

Enforceable On-Line Terms of Service

If your company uses a browsewrap license agreement on your website, it may not be legally binding on site visitors. That’s the message from a recent case, In re Zappos.com Inc., Customer Data Security Breach Litigation,...more

When Are Witness Statements Protected As Attorney Work Product?

One of the first things an attorney does when representing a client in a particular matter is interview witnesses to learn the facts of the case, or have an investigator do such on their behalf. The attorney will almost...more

Creating A Win-Win Relationship With Corporate Counsel

Building strong relationships between your company’s in-house corporate counsel and outside counsel is crucial to developing trust, effective representation, and retention to meet your corporate needs. The keys to doing so...more

Corporate Compliance with Licensing Requirements

Software and technology licensing fees are often tied to the number of users or devices that access an application or database. More users, or more devices, will often mean higher licensing fees. The terms and conditions...more

Canon And Lexmark Litigation Lead To Uncertainty In Print Toner/Cartridge Industry

The industry for remanufactured printer/toner cartridges has flourished for years as users purchase replacements from third party suppliers who fill a need and offer print supplies at prices significantly lower than those...more

Business and Commercial Litigation Newsletter #21 - October 2012

We are pleased to present the 21st edition of the Bernstein Shur Business and Commercial Litigation Newsletter. This month, we recap news about intellectual property rights, the sale of branded products and a U.S. lawsuit...more

Dispute over Ownership of Ex-Employee's LinkedIn Account Highlights Significance of Robust Social Media Policies

This case underscores the significance for employers to create and maintain social media policies that address the control and ownership of company-sponsored social media accounts. ...more

Shoe Designer Kicks Out Its Counterclaims

DuetsBlog has taken an interest in the Louboutin v. Yves Saint Laurent case venued in the Southern District of New York. I, along with my colleague Steve Baird, have previously written about this important color trademark...more

Linkedin Lockout Loss for Employee

Can your employer demand access to your Linkedin account? Can your employer keep access to your account after you terminate employment? Can you sue for damages if your employer denies you access to Linkedin, and your...more

Employer Takeover of Employee's LinkedIn Account Does Not Violate Federal Computer Hacking Law, Question of Ownership Remains

Given the popularity of Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, more and more organizations are resorting to social media sites to promote their brands and manage their public profiles. Employers are also encouraging employees to...more

Employer Access To Employee Social Media Limited In Proposed California Law

A bill currently winding its way through the California Legislature would limit the ability of an employer to request that an employee provide access to the employee’s personal social media accounts. AB 1844 “would...more

As the Ice Cream (and Stomach) Churns

Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream has always been a company with a sense of humor. As Ben & Jerry’s spokesman Sean Greenwood says, “We just do fun.” With flavors like “Chubby Hubby,” “Cherry Garcia,” “Phish Food,” and “Imagine...more

Boarding School Review, LLC v. Delta Career Education Corp.

Reply Memorandum of Law in Support of Motion to Dismiss for Failure to State a Claim under FRCP 12(b)(6)

Plaintiff operates a website called Community College Review. It received multiple cease and desist letters, which escalated in the severity of their threats, from counsel for certain institutions about which routine,...more

Warning: Strategic Business Formations Can Help Isolate Liability, But Only if Maintained

A recent Arizona court decision serves as a reminder for businesses that have layered corporations in an attempt to isolate liabilities that they need to maintain each of these entities as if they were stand-alone companies....more

Top 10 Best Practices To Maintain Trade Secrets

Under California law, Civil Code, Section 3426.1(d), trade secrets are defined: “‘Trade secret’ means information, including a formula, pattern, compilation, program, device, method, technique, or process, that: (1)...more

Revised Cyber Security Act 2012

Congress has been struggling with cyber security issues for several years, most recently in connection with the Cybersecurity Act of 2012 (CSA2012). CSA2012 is an attempt to protect the nation’s critical infrastructure...more

Boarding School Review, LLC v. Delta Career Education Corp.

Brief in Support of Motion to Dismiss for Failure to State a Claim Upon Which Relief Can be Granted (FRCP 12(b)(6))

Plaintiff operates a website called Community College Review. It received multiple cease and desist letters, which escalated in the severity of their threats, from counsel for certain institutions about which routine,...more

Los Angeles Competes For Regional Federal Patent Office

Recent legislation authorized the US Patent Office to open three regional offices. A new regional office has already opened in Detroit and, according to a recent article in the Los Angeles Business Journal, numerous cities...more