Consumer Surveys in Trademark Infringement Cases
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney May 17, 2019 in Intellectual Property
Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Defense Research Institute (DRI) Intellectual Property Litigation seminar in Austin, Texas. During the course of the seminar, I had the opportunity to talk with an expert in consumer surveys for trademark infringement cases. Cynthia Cohen, Ph.D. with Verdict Success explained that pilot consumer surveys can often be used early in a case to help gauge whether there is likelihood of confusion among consumers with a client’s […]
Continue ReadingChildren’s books and intellectual property lawyers were the highlight of my day yesterday. In Austin, Texas, I met with a group of intellectual property lawyers from all over the world. We met as the steering committee for the Defense Research Institute (DRI) Intellectual Property Litigation Section. As each lawyer arrived, he or she brought some children’s books, which we will donate to a local charity, BookSpring. As our meeting proceeded, each of us decorated bookmarks […]
Continue ReadingScandalous Trademarks Update
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney May 2, 2019 in Intellectual Property
On April 15, 2019, the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case of Iancu v. Brunetti. Erik Brunetti’s legal team successfully argued to the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit that the USPTO should approve registration of the mark “Fuct” for clothing items, in part because the scandalous clause of the Lanham Act preventing him from doing so was unconstitutional. Section 2 (a) of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. […]
Continue ReadingChester Bedell American Inn of Court: An Evening with Simon Tam
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney Apr 25, 2019 in Intellectual Property
On April 11, 2019, the members of the Chester Bedell American Inn of Court experienced a thought-provoking and entertaining presentation by musician Simon Tam. Tam was the persistent force that led to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Matal v. Tam, 137 S. Ct. 1744, 1769 (2017). In this landmark case, the court determined that the Disparagement Clause of the Lanham Act was a violation of the First Amendment right to free speech and therefore […]
Continue ReadingDrastic Changes to Canadian Trademark Law Take Effect in June 2019
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney Apr 18, 2019 in Business' Intellectual Property
Written by Guest Author, Marks Gray Associate Logan McEwen Trademarks in Canada are looking at a major overhaul effective June 17, 2019 as Canadian legislation adopting the Singapore Treaty, Nice Agreement, and Madrid Protocol are implemented. How the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) examines and approves trademark applications will be remarkably different. A short highlight reel includes: Registrable marks will now include scents, holograms, color combinations, and animated images alongside traditional word marks, design marks, […]
Continue ReadingThe Pros and Cons of Trademark Licensing
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney Apr 12, 2019 in Intellectual Property
With a trademark licensing agreement, a registered trademark owner (the licensor) receives a negotiated royalty in exchange for allowing another party (the licensee) to use the licensor’s trademark. The licensor receives revenue for the use of their mark without the expenses and risks of product manufacturing, marketing, and sales. The licensee, in turn, has an opportunity to use the trademark without the expenses and risks of research and development. When employed properly, a trademark license […]
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