The hub-bub on the INTA Listserv is about pending fee increases at the PTO (the Patent Bar is upset that patent fee diversion to other branches of government will apparently continue – see here).
The per-class trademark filing fee will likely go to $375 however electronic filing will remain at $335. Interestingly, there will
Every so often you read about a guy who trademarks (or this case, ‘copyrights’) his own name so that people can’t refer to him. More here.
The Google linkometer indicates that 2000 websites have linked to this blog.
If you’ve been holding off retaining U.S. counsel until now, the Euro has just hit a record high against the dollar. Our firm’s fees will seem more reasonable than ever to you.
NY Times article (reg. req.) on American Apparel, which is “Building a Brand by Not Being a Brand,” if you go in for that reverse psychology kind of thing. There ‘is not a logo in sight’ in its 26 stores.
The PTO online database indicates that its application for AMERICAN APPAREL has been approved for
NY Times article (Reg. req.) estimating that trademark counterfeits cost New York City $1 billion in lost revenue, annually.
Complaint alleging direct, contributory and vicarious liabilty for copyright and trademark infringement filed November 19 in the Central District of California by Perfect 10 magazine against Google, for providing, via its Image Search, links to ‘Stolen Content Websites’ displaying unauthorized photos.
Interesting assertion from complaint: “It would be virtually impossible for consumers to locate most Stolen
“Brands As Influencers” by Stephen Rapier, via Branchannel.
Front page article in today’s Wall Street Journal: “Stuck On You: A Tiny Glue Seller Claims Identity Theft,” about how the Hunan Magic Power adhesive company of China has gone one step beyond counterfeiting and has actually stolen the identity of Indiana-based ABRO Industries, to the point of distributing products with a photo of the
Good introductory discussion of copyrightability of photographs apart from the underlying content of the photograph (in this case, photographs of fabric patterns).
Schiffer Publishing v. Chronicle Books, No. 03-492 (E.D. Penn. Nov 12 2004).
Practice pointer: Discourage your clients from writing internal memos giving advice on how to commit copyright infringement.