A client of ours owns and runs a successful mid-size manufacturing business. He recently received an invoice that appeared to be from the US Patent and Trademark Office. He had a patent maintenance fee coming up, so he paid the invoice. The invoice was not from the USPTO. I believed that his money had moved […]
You may have noticed Van Leeuwen Ice Cream on your local grocery store shelves. It’s packaged in pastel-colored cartons with “Van Leeuwen” written in black cursive. It’s easily identifiable and distinctive. Rebel Creamery thought it was, too. So, it copied the colors and the cursive writing and then got sued by Van Leeuwen. Rebel just didn’t lose […]
Dear Doc: I read that putting information into an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot such as ChatGPT can break attorney-client privilege in some instances. Are there other things that we should worry about when we use AI? Signed,Concerned Person Who is Definitely Not a Robot Dear CP: The case you read about is United States v. Heppner. […]
Online marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart make patent infringement easy, quick, and largely anonymous. The marketplaces are not liable for infringement by their sellers, so a patent owner may be left playing whack-a-mole, pursuing multiple infringers from overseas (we’re looking at you, China) hiding behind fictitious names. As soon as an ad for an infringing product is […]
People have been doing business under personal names or surnames for centuries, sometimes their own names, sometimes someone else’s, and sometimes the names of historical figures. There are countless examples: Ford, Disney, McDonald’s, Ralph Lauren, Martha Stewart, Napoleon, Caesar, Lincoln, Churchill, and Tesla, to name a few. You can find all these names being used […]
Imagine this situation: You are one of a group of three Inventors. You are all smart, impressive people. One of you holds a PhD in chemical engineering and has a long career in industry Another of you is a computer scientist. A third runs her own AI development company. You all share a surname. The […]
Dear Doc: I could swear that I have seen Taylor Swift in videos on the Internet saying that she loves some product or other, or endorsing a hotel. Please tell me that my favorite singer (and top 30 songwriter) is not so crass. Signed,Swifty LaCzar Dear Swifty: Yes, TayTay is not that crass, but lots […]
In 1961, James Rick, an experienced manager and music promoter, discovered four young Doo‑Wop singers performing in Brooklyn. Impressed by their commercial potential, Rick entered into a management relationship with the group and named the group “Vito and the Salutations.” Rick also took the step of registering the group’s name as a U.S. trademark, listing himself as the […]
Dear Doc: The design of websites has become very complex, and web pages are now essential to the way companies do business. I have heard that websites are required to be accessible to people with disabilities. What does that mean? Signed, Honestly Accommodating Dear HA: Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) public-facing websites of businesses (and […]
U.S. Constitution Article III set up the Federal court system of judges of the U.S. district courts, the U.S. Courts of Appeals, and Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court. The Federal courts generally address questions where Federal laws or the Federal Constitution are involved or disputes between residents of different states. The Federal judges and Justices […]
