On Episode 22 of the Law & Business podcast, I chat with Sarah DeGeorge of Socially Dedicated. It's a part of our Philly Bloggers series. Sarah and I chat about her blog, Socially Dedicated, and what it means for business. Sarah has tips on her...
Verna Law Blog - Patent, Trademark, and Copyright Law
Law & Business Podcast: Episode 21 with Chrystina Cappello, the founder of the Chrystina Noel blog and of PHL Bloggers
That's right. Season 2 of the "Law & Business" Podcast is back. We start with Episode 21, in which we have a discussion with Chrystina Cappello, the founder of the Chrystina Noel blog and of PHL Bloggers. The Chrystina Noel blog is all about...
You can now register offensive trademarks. Here is why.
Simon Tam, the lead singer of The Slants, chose his band’s name in order to “reclaim” the term and “drain its denigrating force as a derogatory term for Asian persons.” In 2011, he attempted to trademark the name, but the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office refused...
What are the DuPont Factors?
What are the Dupont Factors? The scope of a trademark – either its use or its application for registration – is determined by whether there is “likelihood of confusion” (note that this is different from whether there...
Important Patent Litigation Decision from the Supreme Court
Navigating Patent Lawsuits Post-TC Heartland Decision: Understanding Jurisdiction and Venue Introduction: On May 22, 2017, the Supreme Court rendered a pivotal decision in TC Heartland LLC v. Kraft Foods Group Brands LLC, reshaping the landscape of patent litigation....
Have You Ever Received an E-mail from China About Registering a Domain Name There?
Let's define the situation: You've registered your domain name. You have your website going. Then you receive an e-mail similar to this: "(It's very urgent, please transfer this email to your CEO. Thanks) We are the domain registration and solution center in...
Why did Mars Inc. File a Trademark Infringement Lawsuit against a Small Company?
Candy maker Mars Inc. is suing a Wisconsin woman over chocolates she is selling under a name that the company argues is "confusingly similar" to its cocoa extract supplements called CocoaVia. Mars said in a federal lawsuit filed March 24 that the chocolates sold in...
Why Can’t Deadmau5 Register his Cat’s Name as a Trademark?
Why Can't Deadmau5 Register his Cat's Name as a Trademark? Have you heard? Deadmau5 has a cat called Prof. Meowingtons, PhD, so named because he meows a lot, as in “meowing tons.” (This comes as news to us at Verna Law, however, we can accept this as...
Trademark Abandonment: When Has a Trademark Been Abandoned?
Would you want another business to “freeload” off of your business’ goodwill? If your business does not protect its trademarks and service marks, that is exactly what can happen. If another business wants to use your business’ mark, it can petition a court to...
Video Blog: Thoughts on the OkGo-Post Trademark Infrignement Lawsuit
Let's talk a little bit about the Post cereal lawsuit against OkGo. I think there's been a lot of confusion about...
Law and Business Podcast Episode 62: Heather and Anthony Talk about Domain Names
The "Law & Business" podcast has returned. Once again, we are with Heather Abissi, our co-host, from Abissi Law....
Law And Business Episode 61 with Heather Abissi – Revenge Porn
The "Law and Business" podcast is BACK. And Anthony is joined by his new co-host, Heather Abissi. Heather M....