What Is the Protecting Intellectual Property Act?
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney Feb 16, 2023 in Intellectual Property Law Update
At the beginning of this year, President Biden signed the Protecting American Intellectual Property Act into law. We already have laws protecting intellectual property assets, as well as measures to punish those who flout those laws: civil lawsuits, the U.S. restricted parties list, and criminal prosecution. So what, exactly, is the point of this new act? Specifically, the Protecting American Intellectual Property Act is designed to make foreign actors think twice about stealing U.S. trade […]
Continue ReadingMcDonald’s, Russia, and the Territoriality of IP Rights
Logan McEwen Mar 31, 2022 in Intellectual Property
On March 9, 2022, McDonald’s announced it would be temporarily closing over 800 locations in Russia. Three days later, a trademark application was submitted to the Russian Federal Service for Intellectual Property for a logo with familiar arches and recognizable color scheme: The text beneath the logo reads “Uncle Vanya,” the name of a Russian fast-food restaurant. Given the timing and rapidity of the application, the trademark application appears to be a form of retaliation […]
Continue ReadingThe Gender Gap in the U.S. Innovative Economy: Does Gender Disparity Still Exist Today?
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney Aug 6, 2020 in Intellectual Property
Written by Guest Author, Marks Gray Summer Law Clerk Julianna R. Favale This year we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment and acknowledge how far women have come from having to fight for a right to vote. But there are still areas of law that are slow to develop alongside progressive shifts in societal mores. Why? Largely because they were shaped by such norms. Intellectual property is one such area of law. The […]
Continue ReadingNew Rule for Group Registration in the US Copyright Office
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney Jun 25, 2020 in Intellectual Property
The US Copyright Office issued a final rule this week for Group Registration of Short Online Literary Works. The Final Rule amends the regulations to establish a new type of copyright registration for works distributed online by individual writers that do not qualify as contributions to periodicals. The effective date of the new rule is August 17, 2020. The intent of the rule is to help protect short works that are published on the internet. […]
Continue ReadingLessons Learned at the International Trademark Association Leadership Meeting
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney Nov 21, 2019 in Intellectual Property
From November 19th to the 22nd, I attended the International Trademark Association Leadership Meeting in Austin, Texas. There are 1500 individuals from all over the world gathered in Austin to network with clients, friends, and colleagues and to learn about the latest developments in anti-counterfeiting laws, steps being taken to control illicit trade activities in Free Trade Zones, and updates on trademark law in numerous countries. Two topics I found to be very interesting: the […]
Continue ReadingTips for Business Owners: Develop a Trademark Enforcement Plan
Crystal Broughan, Intellectual Property Attorney Mar 28, 2019 in Intellectual Property Law Update
You have invested time, money, and resources into the development and registration of arguably one of your company’s most valuable assets – its trademarks. The next step is developing a trademark enforcement plan to actively protect the trademarks. Although the idea may seem daunting, the core of a trademark enforcement plan boils down to three simple steps: monitor the markets in which your trademarks are used (e.g., restaurant services, clothing, toys, computers), consult an intellectual […]
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