I ♡ Trademarks Newsletter: Issue #405

Become an Asia-ficionado

This article summarizes where countries in the Asia-Pacific region stand on AI and copyrights.

Here’s an overview of some recent trade secret cases in China.

To learn about trademark cases and law in China, don’t miss this webinar later this month.

A 35-year trademark battle in India over trademark rights to the term TOSHIBA has finally ended. And you thought your trademark battles took a long time!

If you missed our webinar earlier this year about trademark registrations in Southeast Asia, you can find the recording here.

In the Marketing

Almost a year after TACO TUESDAY was liberated from trademark holders, here’s an assessment of Taco Bell’s successful marketing campaign.

The line between permitted advertising and unethical solicitation is so fine they should really do something to more clearly market. All puns aside, this issue is significant.

To find out more about the ethics of marketing, check out this recording from Alt Legal Connect.

Is That Right?

Adobe appears to be trying to stay on the (copy)right side of the law, so read about the steps they’ve taken with their generative AI software.

A judge has advised a litigation financing defendant to consider getting new counsel and perhaps consider taking legal action against them for making her a “pawn” in their litigation campaign.

In its latest attempt to crack down on fraud, the USPTO has terminated over 3,100 patent applications for what it’s calling fraudulent signatures.

The Federal Circuit says Crocs’ claim that their shoes were patented violates the false advertisement requirements of the Lanham Act. I guess the claim was a Croc.

Professional Concerns

It’s always Sony when you have this job as an IP specialist.

Check out this opening for senior group IP counsel at Ashland. I bet you didn’t know senior groups were that into IP, but I hear it’s the new Bridge or Pinnacle.

I included the (Command)Link to this senior contracts manager position so you can apply for it.

Ballard Spahr—which kind of sounds to me like they’re alternating between singing and fighting—is looking for a media and entertainment litigator.

I don’t mean to alarm you, but there’s an IP AGC role at ADT.

Have an open role on your team? Send a link to your job listing to [email protected], and we’ll publish it in our next newsletter.

Odds and Ends

This year’s trademark topics were fascinating! Come to this webinar in December to get a recap of the most interesting issues and hear about how they may impact your practice.

These authors are sour on SCOTUS’s decision in the Jack Daniel’s case and argue that while the Court took at shot at issuing a narrow ruling, it missed the mark because the ruling has been applied in a way that threatens free speech.

Former Formula 1 racer Guenther Steiner was sued by Haas Automation, his former sponsor, for trademark infringement for allegedly infringing the company’s name and logos in his memoir. The judge was quick declare that fair use, though.

Yet another child is having difficulty getting a UK passport because of their allegedly infringing name: this time, it’s Loki Skywalker.

The First Circuit has found that since the POLLO PICÚ mark hasn’t been used since 2016, despite the company’s professions of excusable nonuse. it has been abandoned.