Who knew that comedian/actor Dan Aykroyd was co-founder of a vodka brand? And that not only is this vodka award-winning, but that it is delivered in a skull-shaped bottle? Interestingly too, Dan Aykroyd is dead serious about making sure to enforce his rights of this very distinctive registered trade dress of his. Aykroyd and his brand, Read more about Skull Crushing Victory for Dan Aykroyd’s Spirits[…]
As the New Year rolls around, let’s take a look back at the year that has passed in Trademarks. As often as not, a company’s most valuable asset is its reputation as embodied in its name and trademarks. A registered trademark can be a logo, a brand name, a symbol, a color, a scent, a Read more about Trademarks Through the Years[…]
The McHattie Law Firm is uniquely equipped to deal with modern businesses’ most valuable asset — its intellectual property — and to manage it with a strategic legal approach in the US. From creation to licensing to sale, we stand ready, willing and able to serve your needs, developing strategies for your opportunities and solutions Read more about 12 Days of Intellectual Property Christmas[…]
By Clay D. Shorrock Earlier this month, a federal jury in New York ordered Costco to pay Tiffany & Co. $5.5 million in compensatory damages and $8.24 million in punitive damages in a trademark infringement lawsuit relating to Costco’s use of the famous “Tiffany” mark. The lawsuit, filed by Tiffany & Co. on Valentine’s Day Read more about Are Diamonds COSTCO’s Best Friend?[…]
By, Clayton D. Shorrock, Esq. As we all know, on June 23, 2016, the UK, the worlds’ fifth largest economy, voted to leave the European Union. The so called “Brexit” will have major implications on intellectual property rights in the UK and throughout Europe. While the UK will not officially leave the EU for a Read more about Keep Calm and Protect Your Intellectual Property Post ‘Brexit’[…]
WILL THE REAL TIME WARNER PLEASE STAND UP? By Christie McGuinness. June 9, 2016 Time Warner Cable was bought recently for $60 billion dollars by Charter Communications Inc. Ideally, this sale will solve the many problems associated with Time Warner Cable, which is notorious for “[having] a reputation for poor customer service, consistently ranking Read more about Will The Real Time Warner Please Stand Up?[…]
By Christopher McHattie, Esq. Cannabis, a.k.a. marijuana, hemp, hashish, pot, weed, grass, herb, ganja, mary jane, …with so many names to choose from how do you make your mark in an industry that’s exploding around you – creatively, now and forever. The list of accepted and slang terms for cannabis are as endless as its Read more about The Great “Grass” Rush(tm) of 201[ ][…]
Who’s going to SXSW in March? Are you an artist, a musician, an inventor, an IT guru? You are the innovators, the people who have ideas and are enthusiastic to introduce the world to who you are and what you are about. At the same time, you need to protect your creativity and to learn Read more about Road Trip: South by Southwest 2016![…]
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![…]