http://www.abajournal.com/news/ en Copyright 2013 2013-05-22T00:35:19-06:00 http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/leading_ip_partner_leaps_from_steptoe_to_sheppard_mullin/ An intellectual property litigator who was one of the founders of Steptoe Johnson's office in Century City, Calif., has leapt to the local office of Los Angeles-based Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton. Partner Michael R. "Mike" Heimbold began work there on Friday, Reuters reports. He said he made… Business of Law, Intellectual Property Law, Law Firms, Large Firm, Partners, States, California Mon, 20 May 2013 09:50:54 -0500 44266.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/angelina_jolies_op-ed_on_preventive_mastectomy_backs_gene_tests_that_are_su/ Angelina Jolie’s decision to have a double mastectomy, explained in a New York Times op-ed, was due to a defect in the BRCA1 gene that greatly increased the actress’s risk for breast cancer. Jolie wrote about her experience because she hoped that other women would also… Health Law, Insurance Law, Intellectual Property Law, Patent Law, U.S. Supreme Court Wed, 15 May 2013 12:27:10 -0500 44197.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/scotus_rejects_farmers_blame_the_bean_defense_and_patent_exhaustion_claim/ A farmer with a “less orthodox approach” to use of patented seeds has lost his Supreme Court appeal in a patent infringement case. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Indiana farmer Vernon Bowman and his patent exhaustion argument in a unanimous opinion (PDF) by Justice Elena Kagan.… ABA Journal Production, Weekly Newsletter Stories, Intellectual Property Law, Patent Law, U.S. Supreme Court Mon, 13 May 2013 10:04:26 -0500 44145.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/not_a_star_trek_fan_former_doj_lawyer_provides_a_guide_to_judges_opinion/ U.S. District Judge Otis Wright—or one of his clerks—is a huge Star Trek fan, considering the number of references in a recent opinion to the original series and the spinoffs that followed. That’s the conclusion of former Justice Department lawyer Angelo Spenillo, a Star Trek aficionado who currently works at… Intellectual Property Law, Copyright Law, Judiciary Mon, 13 May 2013 06:29:02 -0500 44127.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/judge_boldly_uses_star_trek_references_in_opinion_blasting_lawyers_who_sued/ Updated: Lawyers who pursued illegal porn downloaders, offering to settle copyright infringement claims for $4,000, are experiencing the wrath of a federal judge. In an opinion peppered with Star Trek references, U.S. District Judge Otis Wright sanctioned four lawyers $81,000, double the cost of attorney fees for two defense lawyers,… Intellectual Property Law, Copyright Law, Judiciary, Legal Ethics Tue, 07 May 2013 08:21:27 -0500 44062.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/are_you_drunk_lawyer_files_angry_remarks_about_special_needs_examiner_after/ A patent lawyer unhappy with the denial of a patent application is taking out his frustrations in filed remarks that question the examiner’s sobriety, his mental abilities and his integrity. Lawyer Andrew Schroeder begins with a question, the Patently-O blog reports. “Are you drunk? No, seriously ... are… Careers, Intellectual Property Law, Patent Law Wed, 01 May 2013 05:34:29 -0500 43968.abajournal.com 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/artists_new_and_different_take_on_copyrighted_photos_was_fair_use_2nd_circu/ An artist to who altered copyrighted photos of Jamaican Rastafarians to create collages and paintings generating $10 million in sales has largely won a battle before a federal appeals court. The New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that 25 of 30 artworks by artist Richard Prince were… Intellectual Property Law, Copyright Law, 2nd Circuit Court Fri, 26 Apr 2013 07:51:31 -0500 43931.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/judge_allows_suit_challenging_contract_intended_to_squelch_bad_online_revie/ A federal judge in Manhattan has refused to dismiss a proposed class-action lawsuit challenging a dentist’s confidentiality agreement that barred negative online reviews by patients. U.S. District Judge Paul Crotty refused to dismiss the suit filed by patient Robert Lee, report Forbes and Legal… Health Law, Intellectual Property Law, Copyright Law, Internet Law Tue, 23 Apr 2013 06:10:09 -0500 43832.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/how_to_curb_costumed_characters_in_times_square_officials_cite_first_amendm/ The number of costumed characters in New York’s Times Square is growing, but city officials can do little to curb the furry population explosion. The arrest of a Cookie Monster character accused of tangling with a toddler over a tip has brought the issue into the spotlight. Council speaker and… Constitutional Law, First Amendment, Criminal Justice, Intellectual Property Law Thu, 11 Apr 2013 05:55:00 -0500 43668.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/turow_supreme_court_decision_and_digital_advances_affect_authors_financial/ Legal-thriller author Scott Turow is blasting last month’s U.S. Supreme Court decision against a publisher fighting the resale of books purchased cheaply overseas. The ruling will allow a surge of cheap imports, Turow writes in an op-ed for the New York Times, and… Celebrities, Intellectual Property Law, Copyright Law, Law in Popular Culture, Media & Communications Law Wed, 10 Apr 2013 06:30:35 -0500 43653.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/thomson_reuters_wins_patent_on_super_lawyers_rating_system/ Business and legal publisher Thomson Reuters has won a patent on its Super Lawyers system for rating excellence among legal practitioners. It was the first such patent issued, Robert Ambrogi's LawSites blog reports. The abstract for the patent, number 8,412,564, says the Super Lawyers system… Business of Law, Intellectual Property Law, Patent Law, Law Firms, Partners Tue, 02 Apr 2013 16:18:48 -0500 43534.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/magazine/article/online_activities_are_still_in_the_wild_west_of_regulation/ Entertainment & Sports Law, Intellectual Property Law, International Law, Internet Law, Legal Theory, Media & Communications Law, Privacy Law, Science & Technology Law, Trials & Litigation, International Courts/Tribunals, Business of Law Mon, 01 Apr 2013 02:40:29 -0500 43299.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/a_victory_for_commerce_scotus_rules_for_student_who_bought_texts_abroad_and/ The U.S. Supreme Court has sided with a former California grad student who purchased books cheaply overseas and then resold them on eBay for a profit. The student, Supap Kirtsaeng, had contended he was protected by the first-sale doctrine, which holds that copyright owners can’t ban resales… Intellectual Property Law, Copyright Law, U.S. Supreme Court Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:37:24 -0500 43339.abajournal.com http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/court_revives_infamous_patent_dispute_involving_online_map_searches/ A company that owns the patent for finding real estate with the help of zoom-enabled computer maps is getting another chance to prove infringement. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit revived the patent claim in a March 4 opinion (PDF), report Reuters, Intellectual Property Law, Patent Law Tue, 12 Mar 2013 07:15:49 -0500 43180.abajournal.com