By David M. DiSegna A “trademark” is any word, phrase, logo or design that identifies the source of goods or services. Trademarks are used to distinguish one’s products and services from those of another. The strength of a trademark depends on its distinctiveness. Along the distinctiveness spectrum are five generally recognized categories of trademarks, which...
By David M. DiSegna Your company’s trademarks are an integral part of its brand and identity. Registering your trademarks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office provides valuable advantages for defending against trademark infringement by competitors and enforcing your intellectual property rights. Key Benefits of Federal Trademark Registrations: Nationwide Notice: Provides constructive notice of...
Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) is causing angst amongst employers and employees alike. As highlighted in a recent Providence Business News article, concerns range from workers being replaced by technology, to subpar work product being created by AI platforms, to overall uncertainty and lack of understanding as to what the technology can do. As a labor and...
By David DiSegna On June 8, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered its opinion in a highly anticipated case involving VIP Products LLC’s (“VIP”) dog toy parody of Jack Daniel’s famous whiskey bottle. VIP manufactures chewable dog toys designed to look like well-known drinks, including Jack Daniel’s. Instead of the words “Jack Daniel’s”, the toys...
By John E. Ottaviani or David M. DiSegna The United States Patent and Trademark Office’s Final Regulations implementing the Trademark Modernization Act of 2020 went into effect on December 18, 2021. The regulations provide for two new ex parte proceedings for expungement and reexamination of unused registered trademarks, which aim to facilitate removal of fraudulent and unused...
By Michael Gamboli and John Ottaviani A recent United States Supreme Court decision has limited the claims that an employer could assert against departing employees who steal trade secrets and confidential information from the employer’s computer systems. Background. The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (“CFAA”) is a federal law that makes it a crime for a person to:...
By John Ottaviani Businesses often overlook protecting one of their most valuable assets, their trademarks. It is important for a business owner to know what a trademark is, why it is valuable, and why the business should seek registration for its most valuable trademarks. Among other things, a trademark registration makes it easier for a...
The current COVID-19 pandemic has forced many businesses online in order to survive. In many cases, businesses had no plans to be online. Others were forced to move online more quickly than planned. In order to assist these businesses, we have prepared a series of articles discussing some of the more important legal issues to...
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many businesses online in order to survive. In many cases, businesses had no plans to be online. Others were forced to move online more quickly than planned. In order to assist these businesses, we have prepared a series of articles discussing some of the more important legal issues to address...
The current COVID-19 pandemic has forced many businesses online in order to survive. In many cases, businesses had no plans to be online. Others were forced to move online more quickly than planned. In order to assist these businesses, we have prepared a series of articles discussing some of the more important legal issues to...
