Use In Commerce – Are Your Specimens Acceptable?
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney Jun 11, 2020 in Intellectual Property
Filing a trademark application can be challenging for some businesses, especially when it comes to acceptable specimens of use in commerce. The USPTO has very specific guidelines on what is acceptable. And they have become stricter in the past two years about what they will accept. So here are some tips for selecting a good specimen: Make sure the specimen has the trademark that you are registering on the specimen. The exact same trademark, not […]
Continue ReadingOcasio-Cortez Apologizes for Blocking Critic on Twitter
Edward L. Birk Jun 11, 2020 in First Amendment
While our courts continue to apply and set precedents for free speech liberties in the digital age, Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is receiving accolades for her handling of the First Amendment violation suit against her for blocking a critic on Twitter. And you’ll never guess where the praise is coming from: the Knight First Amendment Institute. That’s right — the same organization that filed suit against President Donald Trump for blocking critics from his Twitter […]
Continue ReadingAre You Ready to Complete I-9 Verification for an F-1 STEM OPT EAD? Read This First.
Giselle Carson Jun 9, 2020 in Immigration
Some F-1 students may apply for work experience for up to 36 months, something that benefits both them and employers. To enjoy this benefit, F-1 students have to correctly apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and go through the I-9 Verification process. How do you do this? First, STEM students need to remember that they must apply correctly and timely for this benefit. Just one day of delay can make the difference between being […]
Continue ReadingAlert for Post Covid-19 Workplaces: What You Should Know Right Now about I-9 Compliance
Giselle Carson Jun 9, 2020 in I-9 and E-Verify
Over the past few months, many employers took advantage of pandemic-inspired relaxation of Form I-9 review policies that allowed for employers to examine employment eligibility documents remotely. Now that many physical locations are reopening, things are changing again. What exactly do employers need to do? For Employees Hired Utilizing Remote Verification Within three business days of resuming normal operations, you should require any employees who were hired utilizing remote verification to show up in person […]
Continue ReadingUSCIS Announces Funding Crisis, Premium Processing in Phases. Marks Gray Explains What It Means for Your Case.
Giselle Carson Jun 9, 2020 in Agencies (CBP, DHS, DOL, DOS, USCIS, ICE)
Recently, USCIS said if it does not receive $1.2 billion in emergency funds from Congress, it would furlough thousands of employees at the start of July. On the flip side, after suspending service for several months, they released a schedule for the phased reopening of premium services. What does this mean for you? Let’s deal with the budget issue first. If USCIS is not funded and the furloughs occur, this would result in ongoing delays […]
Continue ReadingWhat You Need to Know about This Years’ Cap-Gap and H-1B Cap Petitions Pending Adjudication
Giselle Carson Jun 9, 2020 in FAQ
We are happy to report that we have begun to receive receipt notices for some H-1B FY2021 cap-subject petitions! Below are answers to FAQs to help employers and their F-1 cap-gap students continue to plan for the H-1B cap-gap. Have receipt notices from the Vermont Service Center come in yet? No. We’re still waiting for the receipt notices for the H-1B cap petitions filed with the Vermont Service Center (VSC), which has reported having issues […]
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