By Amy Pruett and Jackie Knapp At the end of June, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal law that allows the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“PTO”) to reject words and symbols that are considered immoral or scandalous, on grounds that it violates the First Amendment. This is another chapter in a […]
By Angela Doughty I would like to think my time as IPL Chair could be described as a compilation of assorted melodies creating the perfect intellectual property mixtape. As we look back, let’s lend an “ear” to the top tracks from the past year. Track 1: Is My Subject Matter Eligible? Our Patent Committee hosted […]
Congratulations to William G. Pagán of Coats & Bennett PLLC, the recipient of the 2018 Pro Bono Outstanding Achievement Award, which was announced at last week’s NCBA IP Law Section’s Annual Meeting held in Charlotte. Every lawyer has a professional responsibility to provide legal services to those unable to pay. Pursuant to Rule 6.1 of […]
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s China Intellectual Property (IP) Road Show Find details and a registration link here. 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Thursday, April 25 Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s China Intellectual Property (IP) Road Show is a free, one-day program that brings together experts from […]
Intellectual Property: Ready for the New Decade 2019 Intellectual Property Law Section and Sports & Entertainment Section Annual Meeting Friday, April 5, 2019 at the Sheraton Charlotte Hotel, Charlotte 6.75 hours of CLE credit, includes 1.0 hour ethics/professional responsibility
By Rebecca E. Crandall Most attorneys advising new breweries remember to ensure no other brewery exists with the same name the client has selected. The work relating to that brewery’s trademarks does not, however, end upon successful naming of the brewery itself. Unless a brewery sticks to generic names for its beers (e.g., IPA, pale […]
By Angela Doughty Planning ahead for events can be frightful, but our section has 2019 plans that are delightful! As long as you love IP so, join us for our events that are a go! February 7 at 11 a.m. for our Tri-City Meeting and Lunch Event in Raleigh, Winston-Salem, and Charlotte. The specific meeting and […]
By Steve Snyder When most people think about cybersecurity, they think of breaches of consumer personal information. And who can blame anyone for that, just look at the headlines for the latest breach of a major hotel chain and FIVE HUNDRED MILLION customer accounts. But one aspect of cybersecurity that is arguably more important than […]
By Jacquelyn D. Knapp Last month, the Music Modernization Act (MMA) was signed into law. This copyright legislation modernizes some aspects of copyright law and applies to songwriters, music publishers, digital music providers, music streaming services, and others that distribute and create music. The MMA received support from Republicans, Democrats, and music industry stakeholders alike. The MMA […]
By Angela Doughty The ravaging of my beautiful hometown of New Bern and the decimation of so many wonderful homes and families has broken my heart and irreversibly altered my soul. The images, videos, and stories cannot do justice to the devastation experienced by those hit hardest. There are not words to express the feelings […]