Join Sterne Kessler attorneys for our inaugural Trademark Year in Review webinar, where speakers will offer summaries and analysis of particularly noteworthy cases from 2022, along with updates on the latest in U.S. trademark...more
Thank you for reading the November 2022 issue of Sterne Kessler's MarkIt to Market® newsletter. This month, we address a precedential TTAB decision that presents interesting priority issues relating in particular to the...more
12/1/2022
/ Cannabis Products ,
Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) ,
Domain Name Registration ,
Domain Names ,
gTLD ,
ICANN ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Likelihood of Confusion ,
Sunrise Periods ,
Trademark Application ,
Trademark Litigation ,
Trademark Registration ,
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ,
Trademarks ,
Websites
Thank you for reading the October 2022 issue of Sterne Kessler's MarkIt to Market® newsletter. This month, we discuss an ongoing trademark suit involving a claim of irreparable harm, share the now open gTLD Sunrise periods,...more
10/28/2022
/ Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Inc v Goldsmith ,
Cease and Desist ,
Copyright ,
Copyright Infringement ,
Copyright Litigation ,
Domain Name Registration ,
Domain Names ,
Fair Use ,
False Advertising ,
gTLD ,
ICANN ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Irreparable Harm ,
Lanham Act ,
Oral Argument ,
Preliminary Injunctions ,
Sunrise Periods ,
Trademark Litigation ,
Trademark Registration ,
Trademarks ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices ,
Websites
U.S. brand owners were heartened to learn of the Show Cause Order issued late last week by the USPTO’s Office of the Commissioner for Trademarks, which takes aim at potentially thousands of trademark applications thought to...more
Thank you for reading the August 2022 issue of Sterne Kessler's MarkIt to Market® newsletter. This month, we discuss a Show Cause Order recently issued by the USPTO to combat thousands of fraudulent trademark applications. We...more
9/1/2022
/ Domain Name Registration ,
Domain Names ,
gTLD ,
ICANN ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Order to Show Cause ,
Rules of Practice ,
Sanctions ,
Sunrise Periods ,
Trademark Application ,
Trademark Registration ,
Trademarks ,
USPTO ,
Websites
In the past week, the USPTO has implemented two new policies designed to better address how applicants and law firms work in 2022.
Electronic Trademark Certificates -
First, as of May 24, 2022, the USPTO has moved to...more
Thank you for reading the May 2022 issue of Sterne Kessler's MarkIt to Market® newsletter. This month, we discuss Spotify's exploration into NFTs, two new USPTO policies with practical implications for trademark applicants...more
5/26/2022
/ Artists ,
Big Tech ,
Blockchain ,
Cancer ,
Cannabis Products ,
Domain Name Registration ,
Domain Names ,
gTLD ,
ICANN ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Internet ,
Medical Research ,
Metaverse ,
Music Industry ,
National Institute of Health (NIH) ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Research Funding ,
Signatures ,
Smart Contracts ,
Spotify ,
Sunrise Periods ,
Trademark Application ,
Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) ,
Trademark Registration ,
Trademarks ,
USPTO ,
Websites
When Fame is the Name of the Game -
As of the third quarter of 2021, Swedish music streaming company SPOTIFY boasted 381 million monthly active users worldwide – significantly more than the population of the entire United...more
2/1/2022
/ Brand ,
Dilution ,
Dispensaries ,
Intellectual Property Litigation ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Marijuana Related Businesses ,
Medical Marijuana ,
Spotify ,
Trademark Registration ,
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ,
Trademarks
Happy New Year! We’re excited to share the January 2022 issue of Sterne Kessler's MarkIt to Market® newsletter in a newly updated format. This month’s articles discuss the Pantone Color Institute's 2022 Color of the Year –...more
1/28/2022
/ Brand ,
Color Marks ,
Dilution ,
Dispensaries ,
Intellectual Property Litigation ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Marijuana Related Businesses ,
Medical Marijuana ,
Spotify ,
Trade Dress ,
Trademark Registration ,
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ,
Trademarks
The December 2021 issue of Sterne Kessler's MarkIt to Market® newsletter discusses new enforcement tools courtesy of the Trademark Modernization Act; Pfizer's acquisition of Arena Pharmaceuticals; the latest developments in...more
12/23/2021
/ Acquisitions ,
Brand ,
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Cannabis Products ,
Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) ,
Domain Name Registration ,
Domain Names ,
Ex Partes Reexamination ,
Expungement ,
gTLD ,
ICANN ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent Litigation ,
Patents ,
Pfizer ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Pharmaceutical Patents ,
Sunrise Periods ,
Trademark Application ,
Trademark Infringement ,
Trademark Modernization Act (TMA) ,
Trademark Registration ,
Trademarks ,
USPTO ,
Websites
The October 2021 issue of Sterne Kessler's MarkIt to Market® newsletter discusses a precedential TTAB decision regarding fraud; the DEA's proposal to increase production quotas for several schedule I controlled substances,...more
10/26/2021
/ Cannabis Products ,
Clinical Trials ,
Controlled Substances ,
DEA ,
Domain Name Registration ,
Domain Names ,
False Statements ,
Fraud ,
gTLD ,
ICANN ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Quotas ,
Reckless Disregard ,
Research and Development ,
Schedule I Drugs ,
Sunrise Periods ,
Trademark Cancellation ,
Trademark Litigation ,
Trademark Registration ,
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ,
Trademarks ,
USPTO ,
Websites
As first reported in our December 2013 newsletter, the first new generic top-level domains (gTLDs, the group of letters after the "dot" in a domain name) have launched their "Sunrise" registration periods. Please see...more
The September 2021 issue of Sterne Kessler's MarkIt to Market® newsletter discusses a recent non-precedential Trademark Trial and Appeal Board decision regarding intent-to-use applications covering CBD products currently...more
10/1/2021
/ Banking Reform ,
Banking Sector ,
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil ,
Cannabis Products ,
Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) ,
Controlled Substances Act ,
Criminal Penalties ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Domain Name Registration ,
Domain Names ,
Drug Possession ,
Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
gTLD ,
ICANN ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Intent-to-Use ,
Marijuana ,
Marijuana Cultivation ,
Marijuana Related Businesses ,
Schedule I Drugs ,
Sunrise Periods ,
Trademark Act ,
Trademark Application ,
Trademark Registration ,
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ,
Trademarks ,
USPTO
As first reported in our December 2013 newsletter, the first new generic top-level domains (gTLDs, the group of letters after the "dot" in a domain name) have launched their "Sunrise" registration periods. Please see...more
If you recently filed a trademark application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, you may have noticed that the average time to first action (initial examination) is about six months from the application’s filing date...more
The August 2021 issue of Sterne Kessler's MarkIt to Market® newsletter discusses Monster Energy's history of trademark disputes in the context of enhancing brand strength, tips for shortening the pendency of trademark filings...more
8/30/2021
/ Brand ,
Cannabis Products ,
Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) ,
Domain Name Registration ,
Domain Names ,
gTLD ,
ICANN ,
Intellectual Property Litigation ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Intent-to-Use ,
Monster Energy Drinks ,
Patent Infringement ,
Patent Litigation ,
Patents ,
Sunrise Periods ,
Trade Dress ,
Trademark Application ,
Trademark Cancellation ,
Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) ,
Trademark Infringement ,
Trademark Litigation ,
Trademark Modernization Act (TMA) ,
Trademark Opposition Proceedings ,
Trademark Registration ,
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ,
Trademarks ,
USPTO
The USPTO issued an alert earlier this week reporting that as of June 17, 2021, U.S. trademark application filings had increased 63% over the prior year, translating into about 211,000 more applications. And, while this...more
The June 2021 issue of Sterne Kessler's MarkIt to Market® newsletter discusses recent litigation surrounding copyright registration invalidation and implications of the increase in trademark application filings at the USPTO....more
6/29/2021
/ Cannabis Products ,
Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) ,
Copyright ,
Copyright Infringement ,
Copyright Litigation ,
Copyright Office ,
Copyright Registration ,
Evidence ,
Intellectual Property Litigation ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Intent to Defraud ,
Marijuana ,
Marijuana Related Businesses ,
Patents ,
The Copyright Act ,
Trademark Application ,
Trademark Registration ,
Trademarks ,
USPTO
Revenge for Infringing Candy Trademarks? So Sweet.
Two recent court decisions highlight that there may still be a bit of a disconnect when it comes to branding cannabis products. In other words, even if your product is...more
6/2/2021
/ Brand ,
Business & Professions Code ,
Cannabis Products ,
Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) ,
Disgorgement ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Lanham Act ,
Marijuana-Infused Edibles ,
Permanent Injunctions ,
Trademark Infringement ,
Trademark Litigation ,
Trademarks
[co-author: Sahar A. Ahmed, Law Clerk]
The May 2021 issue of Sterne Kessler's MarkIt to Market® newsletter discusses the USPTO's new Native American Tribal Insignia Database and two recent trademark litigation cases...more
5/28/2021
/ Brand ,
Business & Professions Code ,
Cannabis Products ,
Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) ,
Confusingly Similar ,
Databases ,
Disgorgement ,
Heritage & Culture ,
Intellectual Property Litigation ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Lanham Act ,
Marijuana-Infused Edibles ,
Native American Issues ,
Permanent Injunctions ,
Trademark Application ,
Trademark Infringement ,
Trademark Litigation ,
Trademark Registration ,
Trademark Searches ,
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ,
Trademarks ,
USPTO
As first reported in our December 2013 newsletter, the first new generic top-level domains (gTLDs, the group of letters after the "dot" in a domain name) have launched their "Sunrise" registration periods. Please see our...more
It was hard to escape news last month of the “Satan Shoes” collaboration between Lil Nas X and Brooklyn art collective MSCHF Product Studio (“MSCHF”). The limited (666 pairs) release of custom red and black Nike Air Max...more
5/3/2021
/ Consumer Confusion ,
Damages ,
Declaratory Relief ,
Dilution ,
False Designation of Origin ,
First Amendment ,
First Sale Doctrine ,
Freedom of Expression ,
Injunctive Relief ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Lanham Act ,
Likelihood of Confusion ,
Nike ,
Trademark Infringement ,
Trademark Litigation ,
Trademarks ,
TRO ,
Unfair Competition
[co-author: Joseph Diorio, Law Clerk]
The April 2021 issue of Sterne Kessler's MarkIt to Market® newsletter discusses the suit filed by Nike over MSCHF's "Satan Shoes"; the latest PTAB decision in the ongoing battle...more
4/30/2021
/ Consumer Confusion ,
Damages ,
Declaratory Relief ,
Dilution ,
Domain Name Registration ,
Domain Names ,
False Designation of Origin ,
First Amendment ,
First Sale Doctrine ,
gTLD ,
ICANN ,
Injunctive Relief ,
Intellectual Property Litigation ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Inter Partes Review (IPR) Proceeding ,
International Trade Commission (ITC) ,
Lanham Act ,
Likelihood of Confusion ,
Nike ,
Parallel Proceedings ,
Patent Invalidity ,
Patent Litigation ,
Patent Trial and Appeal Board ,
Patents ,
Philip Morris ,
Restraining Orders ,
RJ Reynolds ,
Sunrise Periods ,
Trademark Infringement ,
Trademark Litigation ,
Trademarks ,
Unfair Competition ,
Vaping
As first reported in our December 2013 newsletter, the first new generic top-level domains (gTLDs, the group of letters after the "dot" in a domain name) have launched their "Sunrise" registration periods. Please see...more
As has been the case in recent years, trademark filings in 2020 again increased over the previous year. While at first glance this may seem to indicate that the U.S. economy continues to grow and innovate, at least some of...more
2/2/2021
/ Ex Partes Reexamination ,
Expungement ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Lanham Act ,
Trademark Application ,
Trademark Cancellation ,
Trademark Modernization Act (TMA) ,
Trademark Registration ,
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ,
Trademarks ,
USPTO