Intellectual Property

Many assume that brand protection begins and ends with traditional trademark law. But some of the most powerful safeguards for names, symbols, and product designations exist completely outside of our trademark law statutes. For example, use of the terms Olympic, Swiss Made, Champagne, and Scotch Whisky are governed by specialized laws and international agreements that strictly regulate their use. Understanding

The word “subcontinent” refers to a large landmass separated from Asia by some exceptionally large mountains to the North (the Himalayas) and by oceans on the other three sides of that landmass. The largest country within the subcontinent is India. It also includes the countries of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka. When it comes to knowledge in the

NEWS FLASH: October is Intellectual Property (IP) Month! Of course, October is also known for Halloween. There is a spooky trail of patents showing that creativity and IP rights underlie Halloween’s most important traditions. While this holiday is an annual one, that should not deter a client from protecting its Halloween-related innovations via patent, trademark and/or copyright. Thousands of patents

From signature product features to distinctly recognizable colors, brands today are embracing (and protecting!) non-traditional trademarks to stand apart from the competition and to stay relevant in a rapidly changing business landscape. A “traditional” trademark may consist of words, numbers, logos, or graphic designs applied to products or packaging, or used on advertisements for services. Slogans or taglines for a brand might have

When developing a new product, one of the first questions a client asks is: “How can I protect it—and where?” While intellectual property (IP) protection in the United States is typically a given, many clients still hesitate when it comes to seeking IP protection internationally—especially in China. Despite outdated assumptions, China has evolved into a global economic and technological leader.

July begins with a big bang, as the United States celebrates Independence Day. Parades, picnics, and fireworks mark the occasion. Coincidently, July is also National Hot Dog Month, National Ice Cream Month and National Picnic Month. As a result, there is no shortage of online videos dedicated to festive recipes, decorations, table settings, picnic planning, outfits, and more. These videos

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” – Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene II This quote from Shakespeare is prophetic from a trademark standpoint. The primary function of a trademark is to identify and distinguish the goods or services of one party from those of other parties. But

In Minnesota, May means the onset of warmer days, our short gardening season, and anticipation for our summer vacations. In May, we also pause to pay tribute to those serving in all branches of the U.S. military (on Armed Forces Day) and to honor and mourn those U.S. military personnel who died in service for our freedoms (on Memorial Day).

In today’s world, advertising is inescapable. We are bombarded every day by marketing messages on our phones, computer screens and television screens. Even while reading a newspaper online, pop-up ads frequently appear, often to our annoyance. One might wonder: how did all this come about, and what purpose does it serve? As we’ve previously written, brands help consumers decide from

You may notice that this is the first IP column by Z. Peter Sawicki with a new co-author! Fear not, James L. Young is still involved, sharing wisdom and providing editorial guidance, and is available to share practice tips and anecdotes in our musings about intellectual property. In this article, we want to discuss “firsts” when it comes to protecting