Scammers haven’t stopped sending our clients fake trademark renewal notices, bilking them of thousands of dollars. For this reason, I am posting an updated version of my original blog post, “Beware the Trademark Scammers,” to help you differentiate between legitimate reminders and the many trademark scams being perpetrated by those out to steal your money. » Read More

The Trademark Modernization Act of 2020 (“TMA”) was signed into law at the end of last year, and we recently provided an overview of three key provisions practitioners and trademark owners should know about. Earlier this month, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) released a notice of proposed rulemaking setting forth the rules and procedures implementing two of those changes: the new proceedings to cancel registrations in whole or in part, and the changes to the time to respond to office actions. » Read More

In a recent federal court ruling, a judge articulated once again why famous brands enjoy greater rights than those that lack renown.

The case pits two giants in wholly unrelated fields— clothing versus alcoholic beverages.

The lesson? Food, beverage, and liquor sellers should exercise caution and select brand names that are not the same or are not similar to those of existing “famous” brands, even in completely unrelated fields. » Read More

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently issued helpful guidance on the examination of cannabis trademark applications.  This guidance is the USPTO’s first pronouncement of how it will evaluate the legal use in commerce requirement for trademark applications covering cannabis goods and services.   » Read More

Sometimes, it seems not a day goes by without a client calling about a trademark-related scam. To help you avoid becoming another victim, I am writing about two of the more common fraudulent schemes.

The first involves the transmission (via snail mail or email) to the owner of a trademark registration of a notice that looks official, and may even be labeled “Patent and Trademark Office.”  » Read More

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, the authors here at More Than Your Mar®k want to say “thank you” to all of our subscribers and readers.  We are grateful for the opportunity to share with you all-things-trademark… and more!

Keeping with the Thanksgiving theme, here is a feast of “THANKSGIVING” trademarks that are registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.  » Read More

Startups and tech companies are not the only ones who are developing artificial intelligence (AI) and big data technologies to improve efficiency.  The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) recently published a summary report indicating that intellectual property offices throughout the world are evaluating and experimenting with AI. » Read More

Blockchain, also known as distributed ledger technology (DLT), is a digital ledger in which transactions, often made in a cryptocurrency, are recorded chronologically and publicly.  (You can refer to our prior post on blockchain and cryptocurrencies here.)

Although the applications of blockchain technology is most commonly associated with cryptocurrencies, there is a surge of other use cases in the fields of finance, healthcare, arts/entertainment, government, and logistics.  » Read More

I’m back from maternity leave and back “off the wagon”, so to speak, with a post about one of my favorite beverages – red zinfandel.

The USPTO recently refused registration of the mark SINFUL ZINFANDEL for wine citing likelihood of confusion with the mark ZINFUL. » Read More