5 Key Takeaways | Recent Developments in United States Trademark and Unfair Competition Law
5 Key Takeaways | Why Trademark Policy Matters to Brand Owners Large and Small
Protecting Your Brand in China
The United States is a party to the Madrid Protocol, an international treaty simplifying and centralizing the process for registering trademarks on an international basis. This treaty allows owners of U.S. trademark...more
The blog post, “What are the Types of Trademarks,” explained the distinction between Trademarks, Service Marks, State Marks, Federal Marks, and Common Law Marks, which are common types of protection for marks in the United...more
The Trademark Office of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (“Chinese Trademark Office” or “the Office”) has recently approved a slew of marks filed for non-fungible tokens (“NFTs”) and other goods and...more
There once was a company named Zotz, Which created toys for tots, It set up abroad, of course! But filing first is KnockOffSource, Can Zotz manufacture? Methink “notz!” First published in Inside magazine, NYSBA, Fall...more
As we previously reported, in January of this year, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) published its Draft 5th Amendment to the Chinese Trademark Law. See here. One of the proposed amendments no...more
Thank you for reading the August 2023 issue of Sterne Kessler's MarkIt to Market® newsletter. This month, we conclude our series that explores ways to lose trademark rights with an examination of naked licensing, discuss a...more
While the United States Patent & Trademark office is experiencing an inordinately long backlog, U.S. companies seeking to protect their marks internationally are feeling the impact of the extended wait time, and particularly...more
In a recent development, China’s National Intellectual Property Administration (“CNIPA”) appears to have become increasingly strict in assessing whether trademark applications fall foul of the absolute grounds for trademark...more
“Official marks” are a unique feature of Canadian trademark law. Many trademark owners, even in Canada, are unaware of official marks. Those who are aware, are often unclear about the rights provided and the options available...more
In recent years, “metaverse” is a trending topic in the high-tech field. On October 28, 2021, the famous social media company “Facebook” officially announced its change of name to “Meta” and vowed to stake all its future to...more
So you’re launching a new product line worldwide. Or maybe you’re rebranding a division of your global business. Or perhaps you’ve recently conducted an audit of your trademark portfolio and noticed several gaps in coverage....more
The general rule under U.S. trademark law is that the first to use a trademark in U.S. commerce has priority in the mark over other "would-be" users of the same, or confusingly similar, mark. This applies in both common law...more
On Monday, May 3, 2021, the Canadian Trademarks Office published two new Practice Notices with respect to Requests for expedited examination and Measures to improve timeliness in examination intended to improve delays in the...more
Canada has established itself as an attractive jurisdiction in which to do business. It has a stable economy, a high-income population, a business-friendly environment and has long led the G7 in growth. It also has especially...more
Nowadays, the concept of business can rarely prescind from globalization. But the rules and regulations that provide Intellectual Property protection have not always been able to keep up with the internationalization of...more
A trademark’s value can be lost or weakened or a trademark owner fails to protect or police rights in the marketplace. Even improper and/or inconsistent use of a mark can hamper a trademark owner’s ability to enforce...more
The United States is a party to the Madrid Protocol, an international treaty simplifying the process for registering trademarks on an international basis. This treaty allows owners of U.S. trademark registrations and pending...more
A little over a year has passed since Canada overhauled its trademark legislation and acceded to the Madrid Protocol, making it easier than ever to protect trademark rights in Canada. In this IP Update, we explore some of...more
Brazil, a country having one of the largest economies in Latin America, has become the latest country to join the Madrid Protocol, effective October 2, 2019. The Madrid Protocol provides a cost-effective and efficient way...more
Brazil became the 105th member of The Madrid Protocol on October 2, 2019, expanding the Madrid System to cover 121 countries. Brazilian entities can now protect their trademarks within the system by filing a single...more