Tagged: USPTO

When Trademark Goes Off Trail: Patagonia vs. Pattie Gonia

Popular drag queen and environmental activist Pattie Gonia is being sued for trademark infringement, and the internet is not quiet about it. Wyn Wiley took on the alter ego Pattie Gonia in late 2018 after posting a viral photo of herself hiking an outdoor trail…

Get Ready: USPTO Trademark Fees Increase January 18, 2025

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) recently issued a final rule adjusting certain trademark fees for United States trademark applications and registrations. Most aspects of the rule go into effect January 18, 2025, so practitioners and rights holders should be ready for the…

Taco Tuesday: It’s a Tasty Cultural Phenomenon Not a Trademark

More and more, we see trademark applications being filed for cultural phenomena, viral sensations and catchy hashtags. We’ve covered this topic before. Do you remember #covfefe? A recent non-precedential decision issued just after Thanksgiving once again confirmed that common laudatory phrases are often incapable of…

Final Rules for Trademark Modernization Act in Effect This Weekend – New Nonuse Procedures Available and Shortened Office Action Deadlines on the Horizon

Attention trademark practitioners: the finalized rules implementing the 2020 Trademark Modernization Act (“TMA”) go into effect this weekend, on December 18, 2021. Significantly, this marks the availability of three new mechanisms for eliminating “deadwood” registrations: petitions for reexamination, petitions for expungement, and a new nonuse…