When Taco Bell announced its intention to eliminate all exclusive trademark rights in the phrase TACO TUESDAY, it invoked the Declaration of Independence, claiming that any restriction on the right to use it “violates an American ideal: ‘the pursuit of happiness.’” Though the fast-food giant’s…
For 48 years, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office has held that if a trademark registrant files a fraudulent declaration under Section 15 of the Lanham Act to make its registration incontestable, the registration is cancelled in its…
The small blue bird adorning nearly every company’s social media section. The verbiage “tweet” and “retweet” working their way into the fabric of modern language. The creation of character-limited, short-form posts as a new method of communication used by presidents, dignitaries, celebrities, and everyday people…
A 4-foot tall, bronze girl defiantly stands with her hands on her hips and chin held high. Better known as Fearless Girl, the statue was intended to promote the power of women in leadership. The statue has come also to symbolize missteps and the consequences…
Established through the Charter of the French Language, French is the official language of the Province of Québec. The Charter applies to businesses located in Québec and to other businesses providing services and selling goods in this province, making the use of French mandatory in…
The China National Intellectual Property Administration (“CNIPA”) recently released its Rules On Suspension of CNIPA Trademark Proceedings (the “Suspension Rules”) and related explanations. The Suspension Rules are intended to provide clear guidance on the circumstances under which a CNIPA trademark proceeding shall be or may…
How far does the Lanham Act’s reach extend? The Supreme Court gave us one answer in Abitron Austria GmbH et al. v. Hetronic International, Inc. and made it simple: not very far. Hetronic is a U.S. company that manufactures remote controls for construction equipment. Abitron…
AI technology is developing at a tremendous pace and AI image creation is no exception. AI images are even winning art contests. Since AI generates artistic images modeling others’ work, human artists are asking “is it copyright infringement for AI technology to use my work…
Humor matters, but it’s not the most important thing when considering a trademark infringement or dilution claim. In a decision with references to The Hangover Part II, Aqua’s song “Barbie Girl” (good luck not getting that stuck in your head if you grew up in…
The Supreme Court granted certiorari and will review the Federal Circuit’s opinion that Section 2(c) of the Lanham Act is unconstitutional as applied to a trademark for the term TRUMP TOO SMALL. The TRUMP TOO SMALL trademark is a callback to an exchange between Senator…
Jeffrey CadwellJeff advises clients on the availability, registrability, and stre...
Michael KeyesJ. Michael Keyes is an intellectual property attorney with exten...
Kaleb McNeelyAs a partner in the Trial Group, Kaleb practices primarily in the ...
Sarah RobertsonSarah has over fifteen years’ experience helping clients prot...
Fara SunderjiFara assists clients in the development and execution of all type...
Charlene KroghCharlene Krogh is a Partner in Dorsey’s top-ranked Tradem...
Evan EveristEvan is a partner in Dorsey’s Trademark, Copyright and Adverti...