Whether it is a typo in a president’s tweet or simply the word “The,” trademark hopefuls are quick to jump at the opportunity to obtain a trademark in virtually any and all phrases. Recently, the terms “Coronavirus” and...more
In this day of online consumerism, the success of a product can change drastically with a simple addition, or subtraction, of a “star.” In October of 2018, a whistleblower shed light on the drastic measure one particular...more
“The” is the most commonly used word in the English language. However, “trademarks” and “common” are not typically synonymous; rather, a trademark “is a word, phrase, symbol, and/or design that identifies and distinguishes...more
An interesting trademark story recently unfolded involving an NBA draft pick and a team’s new star player. In this year’s NBA draft, the New Orleans Pelicans drafted college standout Zion Williamson with the first overall...more
On May 19, 2019, HBO’s hit series “Game of Thrones” aired its final episode. Although many fans are surely sad to see the popular series come to a close, us trademark fans have much “Game of Thrones” related intrigue to look...more
In recent years, an industry known as eSports has grown exponentially. For those who don’t know, eSports, or electronic sports, is a form of competition centered around video games. Primarily, individuals, or teams, compete...more
With the 2019 NCAA Men’s College Basketball Tournament in full swing, most people probably aren’t thinking “hmm, I wonder if the NCAA owns any trademarks related to the Tournament?” But, maybe they should be....more
Of late, multiple authors of this blog have followed the legal landscape around “scandalous” trademarks. In particular, this post follows up on the USPTO’s petition to the Supreme Court, which we previously covered....more
Chances are you have seen rumblings of creative, even (dare I say) funny cease-and-desist letters, particularly those aimed towards trademark or copyright infringement, popping up in the news. You know the ones: an actor...more
Met with widespread support, the Music Modernization Act was signed into law on October 11, 2018. The Music Modernization Act (“MMA”) largely came about as a reaction to music streaming services’ domination of the music...more