Intellectual Property

This unsettled question has been in dispute since 2015 when two European dairy consortiums – one from Switzerland and one from France – filed an application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office seeking registration of GRUYERE as a “certification mark” for cheese. This filing did not sit well with the International Dairy Foods Association (among others), so they

A request we often receive from clients goes something like this, “I want you to protect all of my IP.” Patent, copyright, and trademark rights are defined by federal statutes, which can make them easier to explain to a client. But what about trade dress? WHAT IS TRADE DRESS AND HOW IS IT PROTECTED? Courts hold that trade dress is

They often make it look so easy when celebrities entertain us in their movies, songs and dance routines. What we fail to typically appreciate are the intense production aspects behind what we see and hear. Many celebrities are involved in the production of their own works. On occasion, their involvement has led to unique innovations, some of which we can

“A computer would deserve to be called intelligent if it could deceive a human into believing that it was human.” – Alan Turing Artificial intelligence (AI) is mentioned so often that it has become ubiquitous. Virtually every news burst and advertisement refers to it. What is AI? The acronym appears to encompass all things run by software, implying there is

“The Engines of Our Ingenuity” is a podcast presented by the University of Houston. Each episode is about four minutes long and conveys a story about how our culture has been shaped by human creativity, not only in terms of technology but also in relation to the arts and ideas. Check out the podcast here. This podcast is all about

Your newest business client wants help obtaining a patent, copyright registration, or trademark registration. While you are exceptionally skilled in many legal fields, intellectual property law isn’t one of them, so you refer that client to competent IP counsel and relax. Everyone wins and … we thank you! When you do this, the client’s IP protection opportunities will be addressed,

In intellectual property (IP), this question comes about in a different context. There are many misconceptions, misunderstandings, and myths about “names” in IP which create confusion with clients even believing they have rights where those rights have been eroded or, in some situations, those rights never existed. This question gives an opportunity to provide a discussion that helps clarify the

The Unites States of America – it’s often referred to as “the land of opportunity.” The oppressed come seeking freedoms unavailable in many countries, and the ambitious come seeking fortune and fame. This has been our country’s story, in fits and starts of enthusiasm, since the beginning. Despite all that apparent upside, in recent years the life expectancy at birth

Another Minnesota State Fair was recently wrapped up. Although some of the days were tremendously hot and humid, Minnesotans stayed true to “The Great Minnesota Get-Together.” Over 1.8 million attended, putting 2023 attendance in the all-time top 10. With a state population of 5.8 million, about 31% of the state’s residents attended (assuming each resident only came once). Both of