http://www.abajournal.com/news/ en Copyright 2013 2013-05-22T07:01:00-06:00 http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/new_video_series_looks_behind_the_scenes_of_innovation_at_inspiring_invento/ Intellectual Property Law, Patent Law, Trademark Law, Law in Popular Culture, Legal History, Opening Statements Wed, 01 May 2013 04:20:06 -0500 43787.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/judge_puts_the_brakes_on_law_firms_suit_over_doppelganger_domain_name_says_/ A New York legal boutique known for its expertise in counterfeiting and cybersquatting cases is experiencing a frustrating delay in obtaining a relief against a Canadian computer programmer who they allege set up a website with a name almost identical to the law firm's. Although GIOCONDOLAW.com is easily confused with… Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Legal Technology, Cybersecurity, Intellectual Property Law, Trademark Law, Media & Communications Law, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements, 2nd Circuit Court, States, New York Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:03:20 -0500 43979.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/can_boston_strong_be_trademarked_two_applicants_hope_the_answer_is_yes/ Two applicants are seeking to trademark the “Boston Strong” motto that became a popular rallying cry after the Boston Marathon bombings. A Massachusetts T-shirt company called Born Into It and an individual, Kerim Senkal, of Allston, Mass., sought trademark rights in registrations filed on April 17, the Intellectual Property Law, Trademark Law Wed, 24 Apr 2013 07:32:42 -0500 43884.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/5_trademark_lawyers_exit_finnegan_henderson_to_form_own_firm/ Five lawyers are exiting Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner to form their own firm. They include David Kelly, who formerly served as a trademark practice group leader for the 350-attorney Washington, D.C., intellectual property boutique, three other partners and a counsel, Reuters reports. The split is apparently… Business of Law, Careers, Intellectual Property Law, Trademark Law, Law Firms, Midsize Firm, Partners Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:53:04 -0500 43728.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/maker_of_tommy_guns_vodka_faces_infringement_suit/ A liquor company that makes Tommy Guns Vodka is facing a lawsuit claiming it is infringing the trademark held by a gun maker’s corporate owner. The vodka is sold in a 19-inch bottle shaped like Tommy guns, the popular name for the submachine gun used by Chicago gangsters, the Intellectual Property Law, Trademark Law, Trials & Litigation Fri, 05 Apr 2013 06:00:55 -0500 43592.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/judge_refuses_to_toss_infringement_lawsuit_against_facebook_over_its_timeli/ A federal judge in Chicago has refused to dismiss a lawsuit claiming that Facebook infringed another company’s trademarks with its timeline feature. U.S. District Judge John Darrah ruled that Facebook failed to prove the trademarks were generic, report IDG News Service, Bloomberg News… Intellectual Property Law, Trademark Law, Internet Law, Trials & Litigation Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:00:56 -0500 43524.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/law_firm_cant_sue_better_business_bureau_for_f_rating_under_lanham_act_fede/ A law firm that says it lost clients over disparaging reviews published by the Better Business Bureau of Central Florida Inc. lacks a basis for filing suit under the Lanham Act, a federal judge in Orlando has ruled. Because the BBB is not a competitor of the plaintiff, Kaufman, Englett… Advertising Law, Intellectual Property Law, Trademark Law, Law Firms, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements, 11th Circuit Court, States, Florida Wed, 20 Feb 2013 15:22:55 -0600 42946.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/chubby_checker_smartphone_app_500_million/ Singer Chubby Checker has filed a trademark infringement suit seeking $500 million in damages from the makers of a smartphone app called “The Chubby Checker,” which claimed an ability to estimate the size of a man’s penis by using his shoe size, the Associated Press reported. The… Entertainment & Sports Law, Intellectual Property Law, Trademark Law Fri, 15 Feb 2013 13:08:56 -0600 42894.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/tiffany_suit_alleges_costco_co-opted_the_jewelers_name_in_ring_sales/ A trademark lawsuit filed by Tiffany on Valentine’s Day claims Costco was falsely promoting engagement rings in its stores with the jeweler’s name. The suit, filed in federal court in Manhattan, claims Costco salespersons were referring to “Tiffany” engagement rings, report Reuters and the Advertising Law, Intellectual Property Law, Trademark Law, Trials & Litigation Fri, 15 Feb 2013 07:25:36 -0600 42886.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/reed_smith_can_implead_3_other_law_firms_in_defense_of_malpractice_suit_app/ Sued by a former client over its handling of a gin trade-name issue, Reed Smith has won a round in the ongoing litigation. The law firm can implead three other law firms that also allegedly provided bad advice to Millennium Import concerning its Belvedere brand, a New York appellate court… Corporate Law, Intellectual Property Law, Trademark Law, Law Firms, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, States, New York Fri, 25 Jan 2013 16:28:58 -0600 42564.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/supreme_court_rules_for_nike_says_competitors_trademark_challenge_is_moot/ The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled for Nike in its attempt to head off a competitor’s challenge to a trademark for a Nike shoe line known as Air Force 1s. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote the unanimous opinion (PDF) holding Nike’s promise not to pursue an… Civil Procedure, Intellectual Property Law, Trademark Law, U.S. Supreme Court Wed, 09 Jan 2013 10:45:12 -0600 42276.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/around_the_blawgosphere_digital_distractions_the_hobbit/ The Double-Edged Touchscreen Writing at her blog, At the Intersection, Edge International general counsel Pam Woldow addresses the "inefficiency disease"–familiar to anyone reading this–of "digital distraction." While much is written about how technologies that speed up communication increase efficiency in a legal workplace, the constant distraction… ABA Journal, @BlawgWhisperer, Careers, Intellectual Property Law, Copyright Law, Trademark Law, Law Firms, Law Libraries Fri, 14 Dec 2012 09:30:55 -0600 42046.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/united_sues_over_customer_complaint_website_design_operator_calls_it_an_obv/ A major airline has sued a Canadian engineering professor in his home country, contending that the 15-year-old website on which he compiles customer and employee complaints violates its intellectual property rights and worker privacy. United Continental Holdings only sued after owner Jeremy Cooperstock reworked his untied.com blog in April to… Consumer Law, Corporate Law, Intellectual Property Law, Copyright Law, Trademark Law, International Law, Internet Law, Tort Law, Trials & Litigation, International Courts/Tribunals, International, North America, Canada Thu, 29 Nov 2012 12:20:44 -0600 41787.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/lawyer_who_pokes_fun_at_obvious_nyt_stories_on_twitter_is_forced_to_abandon/ A lawyer who pokes fun at the New York Times on Twitter for covering the obvious has been forced to abandon his avatar incorporating the distinctive “T” of the newspaper’s masthead. Twitter temporarily suspended the Twitter account of Benjamin Kabak last week after the Times complained that the avatar violated… Intellectual Property Law, Trademark Law, Internet Law, Media & Communications Law Mon, 26 Nov 2012 07:00:40 -0600 41723.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/telecommuters_kept_patent_office_at_70_productivity_during_hurricane_sandy/ Thanks to a liberal telecommuting policy, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office remained productive during a two-day government shutdown for Hurricane Sandy. Patent office director David Kappos says patent and trademark teams averaged productivity of more than 70 percent during the storm, the Washington Post reports. The… Careers, Government Law, Intellectual Property Law, Patent Law, Trademark Law, Natural Disasters, Hurricane Sandy Fri, 09 Nov 2012 11:13:49 -0600 41547.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/around_the_blawgosphere_curriculum_reform_peoria_il_blue_ivy_amazon_crash/ Redefining the Basics Last week, New York University Law School announced plans to remake its curriculum. This week at the New York Times' Dealbook blog, University of Colorado Law School professor Victor Fleischer and Brian Leiter's Law School… ABA Journal, @BlawgWhisperer, Business of Law, Law Practice Management, Legal Technology, Intellectual Property Law, Trademark Law, Law Schools Fri, 26 Oct 2012 08:30:37 -0500 41307.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/deli_sues_trademark_office_claims_apostrophe_makes_its_cheesesteak_special/ A Philadelphia deli believes its cheesesteak is special, and the proof is in the apostrophe. Campo’s Deli at Market has filed a lawsuit in its effort to obtain a trademark for the term “Philadelphia’s Cheesesteak,” Courthouse News Service and the TTABlog report. The deli… Intellectual Property Law, Trademark Law Thu, 11 Oct 2012 05:30:27 -0500 41071.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/telecommuting_is_the_norm_at_the_u.s._patent_office/ Patent reviewers and trademark examining attorneys who work for the federal government are likely doing their jobs from home. About 66 percent of employees at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office are telecommuting, the Washington Post reports. The office is an exception to the norm for federal… Careers, Work/Life Balance, Government Law, Intellectual Property Law, Patent Law, Trademark Law Tue, 11 Sep 2012 07:34:06 -0500 40657.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/ice_cream_maker_ben_jerrys_wins_court_ban_on_lookalike_porn_films_peanut_bu/ It might seem unlikely that those who enjoy Ben & Jerry's gourmet ice cream would think the Vermont-based maker of trademarked flavors such as Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Peanut Butter Cup and Boston Cream Pie has anything to do with similar sounding porn flicks such as Chocolate Fudge Babes, Peanut Butter… Corporate Law, Intellectual Property Law, Trademark Law, Trials & Litigation, Verdicts & Settlements, 2nd Circuit Court, States, California, New York, Vermont Fri, 07 Sep 2012 13:30:27 -0500 40602.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/around_the_blawgosphere_eastwooding_strunk_and_white_louboutin/ Arguing with an Empty Chair in Court Since actor Clint Eastwood's speech last week at the Republican National Convention in which he talked to an imaginary President Barack Obama in an empty chair on stage, many Internet memes have been born, and the expression "Eastwooding"—to denote… ABA Journal, @BlawgWhisperer, Intellectual Property Law, Copyright Law, Trademark Law, Law Professors, Law Schools, Law Students, Trials & Litigation, Juries Fri, 07 Sep 2012 08:30:46 -0500 40589.abajournal.com