Alt Legal IP News – Issue #79
Hannah Samendinger | March 14, 2018
New episode alert!
Check out our latest episode of Alt Trademarks. This episode features Lauren D. Shinn of WIPO. We discuss her role at WIPO and recent updates to the UDRP.
The Arts
– A photographer who received threats from Duran Duran’s representatives to get him to sign over the rights to his photographs has started a blockchain based company for creative types.
– The Copyright Office rejected an application to register a middle finger pictogram but did not take up the question of whether pictograms can qualify as literary works.
– Jay Z has “99 problems and this IP case is definitely one of them.”
Munchies
– An Australian woman obtained a trademark registration for “divisive graffiti” about Jesus’ love for nachos.
– A brunch themed trademark battle broke out between between two restaurants, Early Morning and Friends with Benedicts, over the phrase “Mimosa House.”
– A pastry chain is going after several competitors for their use of “Master Bao” in connection with similar buns.
– The chicken shop Nando’s asked another peri peri restaurant with a bird logo, Fernando’s, to rebrand. The owner of Fernando’s says the logo is a variation on a traditional Portuguese chicken symbol, not copied from Nando’s.
Inventors and Inventions
– UC Berkeley and their colleagues received another important European patent for CRISPR technology.
– Apple keyboards of the future may be dust and crumb resistant.
– The USPTO released their new patent design and corresponding media kit.
– The Daily Show took a look at how robots are disrupting the legal industry.
Odds and Ends
– Enamel pins have become a contentious issue in the fashion industry, particularly for indie designers and fast fashion brands.
– A Texas man is attempting to register a trademark for “Wakanda Wine Festival.”
– Border Officers are already prepping for the World Cup with training on football counterfeits.
– IP Watchdog did a deep dive into the significance of the Copyright Board’s recent ruling, which raised royalty payments to songwriters and music publishers.