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
China, which has enjoyed the reputation of being the “World’s Factory” and an “Important World Market” for many years, has also topped the global list in trademark applications for 20 consecutive years. Due to China National...more
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 World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) recently published its annual Madrid Yearly Review, offering a comprehensive overview of the facts, figures, and analyses of the international registration of marks....more
We would like to bring to your attention that there are new “address for service” rules coming into effect on 1 January 2024 at the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) which may have an impact on your trade mark...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
My previous 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...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
On 24 June 2022, China’s Supreme People’s Court (“SPC”) handed down its long-awaited retrial judgment in the MANOLO BLAHNIK trademark case. In this judgment, which was published online only a few days ago, the Supreme Court...more
Trademark symbols, including ® and TM, and their French counterparts MD and MC, are commonly seen in the Canadian and international marketplaces. While such symbols are easy to recognize, it is important to understand the...more
The Republic of Chile joined the Madrid Protocol on July 4, 2022, making it the 111th member of the Madrid System. The country is the latest in Latin America to accede to the multinational trademark registration system,...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
With the increasing protection of IP rights on e-commerce platforms, trademark registrants’ rights are respected and protected. It is difficult to sell counterfeit products on e-commerce platforms. For example, according to...more