Category Archives: Trademarks
Return of the Scammers
A few years ago, we warned about scammers who were sending official-looking notices from the “Business Filings Division,” asking for $239 for statement of information filings. It was all a scam — but I remember spending fifteen minutes looking at one, trying to verify that it wasn’t official. It seems that these scammers are back, only […]
Who Is Using Your Trademark? (Google II)
New Legal Developments in Keyword Advertising Go ahead: after you google yourself, google your company name. We’ll wait. Hold on – did you see that? Above your company name is an ad from someone pretending to be a reseller of your product – but you’ve never heard of them. Can they do that? Can companies […]
Has “Google” Become Generic? (Google III)
My fellow Business of Media instructor, Eric Sinrod of Duane Morris, has a good article today about a lawsuit an Arizona entrepreneur has brought against Google, claiming that the trademark “Google” has become generic. One of the perils of a popular trademark is that when it becomes the term for the product or service itself, anyone […]
Insurance for IP Infringement Plaintiffs
Thanks to Annette Freeman, one of the world’s leading intellectual property authorities, I read an interesting article about insurance for intellectual property plaintiffs. Small companies worried about the cost of protecting their IP can buy this insurance, which will subsidize the cost of enforcing IP rights in court. The devil is in the details, of […]
A Wellness Program — For Your Business
Just as your body needs annual wellness checkups, your business does, too. Much of the simple matters can be done by your office, without an lawyer – but if issues turn up, it may be time to check with counsel. Corporate Status ❏ Corporate Status. Is your business in good standing with the state? In […]
The Rapid Evolution of Mobile Apps
When I was a kid, on days when we couldn’t play outside, my friend Mike and I would play Pong on our TV sets. Growing up in the Los Angeles area, many of our friends wanted to be in Hollywood. Now, the video game industry has earned more than Hollywood movies for years. The San […]
When Cease-and-Desist Means Start Right Now
Confronting claims in a cease-and-desist letter head-on will be cheaper in the long-run than burying your head in the sand. A cease-and-desist letter is a code for starting things right away.
Litigation and War
By: Andrew K. Jacobson ©2004 In his autobiography, “My American Journey,” former Joint Chief of Staff Chairman General Colin L. Powell presents several tests to determine when the nation should commit to battle. These tests eventually became known as the “Powell Doctrine.” These tests are as applicable to litigation as they are to war: Commit […]
Intellectual Property Secrets
Copyrights, Trademarks, Trade Secrets, & Patents Copyright What’s a Copyright? A Copyright gives you the right to control what happens to a work that you’ve produced. You have the right to control the copying of it (hence the term “Copyright”), but you have other rights as well. For example, you have the right to control […]
