You might be wondering what cognac, hip-hop and fame have in common. The answer, at least in a recent opinion by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, is certification trademarks. We have written in the past...more
Every month, Erise’s trademark attorneys review the latest developments at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, in the courts, and across the corporate world to bring you the stories that you should know about: Fourth...more
A certification mark is an important business tool. Displaying a certification mark on a product or on marketing materials indicates that a company’s offerings meet certain standards. Consumers often look for items that...more
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted the application of the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA or Association) to register SCOTCH WHISKY as a certification mark for “whisky produced in Scotland...more
INTERPROFESSION DU GRUYÈRE, et al., v. U.S. DAIRY EXPORT COUNCIL, et al., Twas all about exclusive right to control the use of Gruyere for cheeses in the US. This case began with a 2015 application by Interprofession du...more
I am in Porto, Portugal for the spring conference of the Pharmaceutical Trade Marks Group, and I have enjoyed learning a bit about port wine – and the associated geographical indication – while I am here. Port, of course, is...more
The United States Patent and Trademark Office, Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (the “Board”) recently dismissed Luxco, Inc.’s (“Luxco”) opposition to registration of the mark TEQUILA (in standard character format) by an...more
The November 2016 issue of Sterne Kessler's MarkIt to Market® includes practical tips for registering certification marks, a look at the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board's latest revisions to the Rules of Practice-its most...more