By: Christie McGuinness In a historic referendum on June 23, 2016, Britain voted to leave the European Union, which many are crediting to a rise in xenophobia, extreme nationalism, and anti-Immigration sentiment. Whatever the reasons for the vote, it is certain this vote saw a drastic divide between age groups with younger British citizens typically Read more about GOD SAVE THE QUEEN AND THE EUROPEAN UNION[…]
By: Tara K. Quaglione, Esq. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”), a landmark law in environmental protection, turns 40 years old this fall. As the principal federal law governing disposal of solid and hazardous waste, RCRA has been instrumental in shaping numerous environmental practices and principles over the past few decades. RCRA regulations notoriously Read more about “Sham” Recycling Guidelines Receive EPA Overhaul[…]
So you’re heading to SXSW, and you hope to meet other like-minded people, people who you might want to talk to about your ideas and your business. How can you share proprietary information and find others who can help bring your vision to fruition while still protecting your ideas? This is where an understanding of Read more about Three Steps Businesses Can Take to Protect Their Ideas[…]
If you are planning to start a small business, a sole proprietorship may be right for you. It is the most common form of business structure, and it is relatively easy and inexpensive to establish. In fact, if you are presently carrying out any business activities (as, for example, a freelance editor or graphic artist), Read more about Is a Sole Proprietorship Right for You?[…]
As predicted in our November 13, 2014 post, “Flag On The Play”, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) has held that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) stuck its “subjective nose” so far into trademark owners’ choices of trademarks that the U.S. Constitution has been violated. In re Read more about Flag On The Play, Part Deux[…]
As an employer, you will naturally want ownership over the works you pay your employees to create. However, are you aware of the difference between works created by employees and those created by independent contractors? Employee-created works are considered “works made for hire” and are presumed to be owned by the employer. On the contrary, Read more about Employment Agreements – Better Safe than Sorry![…]
by Christopher McHattie & Neeraj Joshi The McHattie Law Firm, LLC It goes without saying that proper representation of a client implicitly means not committing malpractice. It also goes without saying that an inventor must invent something eligible for patenting in order to receive a valid patent. Recently, the intersection of legal malpractice and patent Read more about Saved by the Invalidity Bell: How to Succeed in a Malpractice Suit…Without Really Trying?[…]
Sitting in our conference room for our Monday morning meeting, our Law Clerk relayed a conversation she had with a few people over the weekend. When explaining to people that she worked at an “IP Law Firm,” she was astonished that a few people, both old and new generations, didn’t know what IP stands for, Read more about What is Intellectual Property?[…]
Troll: “Supernatural beings . . . who dwell in isolated rocks, mountains, or caves, who live together in small family units far from human habitation, who are rarely helpful to human beings . . . and whose appearance varies greatly – (they may be ugly and slow-witted or look and behave exactly like human beings, Read more about Patent Trolls and Apples…or…The Apple Calling the Troll Black[…]
Some musings – I was surprised to read about Ohio State University’s Registration of the trademark OHIO and equally surprised to learn that the university had filed a trademark infringement action against a perceived infringer, Teespring, 2:14-cv-00397. A little research revealed a few funny things. First the article read: “The Columbus Dispatch reports that Ohio Read more about Trademark Soundbite Gone Awry[…]