I don’t write about current political events, but I’ve been pressured into writing this post because of its significance with respect to trademark law. Trademarks are fundamentally about protecting the public. Yes, trademarks can become valuable assets for big business,…
In October, the Patent and Trademark Office raised most of its patent-related fees. Now, the other side of the building is raising its fees on trademark actions. The changes will become effective January 2, 2021. As with patent fees, these…
Knockout searches are searches run before filing a trademark application to assess, primarily, the viability of obtaining a registration on that trademark. Whether you can use the mark is actually a slightly different question from whether you can register it,…
Trademark applications in the US can be based on use, an intent-to-use, or a foreign trademark application. When a trademark application has been previously filed outside the US, for certain entities there are ways to enter the US based on…
The CARES Act gave the US Patent and Trademark Office the authority to toll, waive, adjust, or modify deadlines related to patent and trademark owners in light of the coronavirus pandemic. At the end of March, the USPTO announced it…
About two months ago, the Trademark Office announced entities would have to begin disclosing their personal email addresses in trademark applications and trademark registrations. I joined almost 200 trademark attorneys in protest of this rule. We argued that it would…
UPDATE: APRIL 28: The USPTO has updated its program which changes some of the information below regarding dates. Read more here. The US Patent and Trademark Office is allowing a 30-day extension to some trademark filing and fee deadlines missed…
UPDATE: APRIL 28: The USPTO has updated its program which changes some of the information below regarding dates during the coronavirus pandemic. Read more here. The US Patent and Trademark Office has made extensions available to filing, response, and fee…
Earlier this month, the Trademark Office refused a clothing trademark application to register the word THE. The trademark application was filed by the Ohio State University. Some people have inaccurately seen this as grab by OSU to lock down all…
Many say cannabis is the next “Wild West.” Although a convenient metaphor, it is not entirely appropriate. Expansion into the American West was full of risk, speculation, and fraud. The growth of the cannabis industry has been continuous and risky,…