Saturday and the Witch Woman
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney Jun 20, 2019 in Intellectual Property
Last Friday, I received a surprise in the mail, a hardcover book called Saturday and the Witch Woman written by Tom Ott, my client and friend. Tom is a professor of Caribbean history who has wanted to write about Saturday for many years. Several years ago Tom sent a draft of the book for me to read and give him my opinion. He has now come full circle and actually published the book in hardcover […]
Continue ReadingWhat’s Allowed under Fair Use of Copyright-Protected Work?
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney Jun 13, 2019 in Copyrights
Copyright registrations protect owners’ original works from other people reproducing, distributing, displaying, and/or performing the original works or creating derivative works. But the laws surrounding copyright protection are not exactly sealed tight. References to copyright-protected work are all around us, and you can bet that most of those people did not get permission. So when is the use of copyrighted material okay? And when does it cross the line? The United States Copyright Act has […]
Continue ReadingThree Common Trademark Mistakes Made By Businesses
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney Jun 6, 2019 in Intellectual Property
rubber stamp printed with trademark[/caption] The names, symbols, and logos associated with your business can be valuable assets. By registering them as trademarks, you help protect your business from predatory competitors who want to make money off your hard work. Unfortunately, many businesses make some simple mistakes that impact their ability to benefit from that protection. Learn from the errors of businesses that have come before you to ensure you correctly apply for and maintain […]
Continue ReadingSupreme Court Rules Trademark Licenses Survive Bankruptcy
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney May 30, 2019 in Intellectual Property
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court tied up loose ends in a case that is being called “the most significant unresolved legal issue in trademark licensing.” The Court ruled 8-1 in the case of Mission Product Holdings, Inc. v. Tempnology, LLC (Supreme Court May 2019) that, if a trademark owner goes bankrupt, they cannot take away the rights of licensees to use trademarks that were already licensed. This is the last piece of a puzzle […]
Continue ReadingInternational Trademark Association’s 2019 Annual Conference in Boston
Marks Gray May 29, 2019 in Events
This May, I traveled to the International Trademark Association’s 2019 Annual Conference in Boston, Massachusetts. Below you will find photo highlights from the conference. I look forward to sharing what I learned there in upcoming posts.
Continue ReadingThe Creation of Trademarks – Cooperation Between Marketing and Legal Professionals
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney May 23, 2019 in Intellectual Property
In May, I attended the International Trademark Associations (INTA) Annual Conference in Boston. One session I found particularly interesting involved marketing professionals and trademark lawyers discussing how to work together to create a strong brand for a client. In my experience, I usually get a call from a client’s marketing department after they have gone through the creative process and selected a new brand for a product or service. The panel discussed having the trademark […]
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