Most general counsel did not build their careers expecting to spend meaningful time on trademarks. They are rarely the reason a deal closes, a lawsuit settles or a quarter hits its numbers....more
Welcome to the January 2026 issue of Sterne Kessler’s MarkIt to Market® newsletter. As we’ve entered the new year, we’re excited to introduce a new quarterly digest format for MarkIt to Market®....more
As of January 1, it’s been five years since Brexit (where does the time go?!). Its final implications for trademark rights in the EU and UK took effect as we rang in the new year. As a reminder, even if you don’t recall...more
2025 has been a year of breaking news, including in the intellectual property space. While AI developments and big court decisions grabbed many of the 2025 headlines, the most immediate and practical changes to U.S. trademark...more
Until now, the only means of protecting a trademark in the Maldives, the smallest country in Asia known for its rich marine life and vibrant coral reefs, was accomplished by publishing informal Cautionary Notices in local...more
Brand owners face a changing landscape at the U.S. federal registration level as the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) implements a new fee structure. These changes have important implications for trademark...more
If your company has filed a trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), you may find yourself on the receiving end of unsolicited – and often fraudulent – communications. These scams are...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
While all brand owners desire to protect their trademarks, many do not regularly create or maintain detailed records of their use of their marks. A best practice that may pay dividends for your business, and help to protect...more
Securing a federal trademark registration is a major milestone—but it is not the end of the journey. To keep your rights strong and enforceable, you need to maintain the registration and actively protect the mark in the...more
As part of its ongoing efforts to address rising operational costs, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has announced a series of trademark filing fee increases that went into effect January 18, 2025. These changes include...more
Effective January 18, 2025, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will implement a new fee schedule for trademark filings. ...more
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will implement a new fee schedule this month, introducing significant changes across all fee categories, including initial trademark application filing fees....more
The Bermuda Government passed a new trade marks legislation, the Trade Marks Act 2023 which is expected to be enacted in early 2025. The new Act closely mirrors the UK Trade Marks Act 1994 (as amended), and seeks to...more
Trademark scams are on the rise, again. In the five years since we initially published this advisory, scammers have honed their tactics, using advanced technology to distribute misleading solicitations and invoices related to...more
The US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit reversed and remanded a district court’s ruling, holding that the Lanham Act does not foreclose an Administrative Procedure Act (APA) action for judicial review of the US Patent...more
What is the difference between a traditional trademark and trade dress protection? Traditional Trademarks - According to the USPTO - A trademark can be any word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination of these things...more
The Tennessee ABC liquor-by-the-drink application and renewal applications ask in Question 15: "Do you intend at any point during the next license year to produce, store, sell or offer for sale infusions as that term is...more
In our previous post, we discussed the importance of front-end intellectual property (IP) protection and seeking legal counsel to help build out a strategy to best navigate the intricate IP landscape. We delved into the...more
On September 15, 2021, the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina imposed significant penalties on a defendant who defrauded thousands of trademark registration holders. The imposition of such...more
It’s over. After all the cliffhangers, the United Kingdom has finally left the European Union. Who keeps the house? Who has to buy a new sofa? Brexit may not mean much to the average American, but if you do business in...more
On August 28, 2019, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) announced proposed changes to increase fees for a number of trademark-related matters. The new fee schedule will go into effect in August 2020, if...more
Trademark scams are on the rise. Over the past year, Sullivan has seen a significant increase in the number of clients who have received misleading solicitations and invoices relating to their trademarks. Every brand...more
Under Myanmar’s new law, any existing Cautionary Notices must be refiled as trademark applications within the first few months of 2020 or risk losing their priority....more
Your intellectual property (IP) is, of course, valuable to your business, and you have likely taken appropriate steps to maximize the legal protection for those assets. The most common form of protecting your company name,...more