Alt Legal IP News – Issue #1
Hannah Samendinger | August 24, 2016
New President, New Rules
– The ABA announced the election of new president Hilarie Bass. She has been in the position for less than a month and some big changes are already underway. According to the ABA, Bass believes that new technologies are the key to fostering more efficient and affordable legal services. We agree.
– It’s 2016 and female attorneys can finally seek recourse against fellow attorneys who use gendered terms such as “honey” in the courtroom. The ABA is broadening the scope of professional misconduct to forbid “comments or actions that single out someone on the basis of race, religion, sex, disability and other factors.”
Spoilers and Fictional Brands
While film and television are filled with traditional forms of IP, those rights also manifest in more surprising ways.
– Can spoilers be protected by copyright law? The AV Club reports on why AMC thinks so.
– Consumerist compiled a list of fictional brands that are often used in movies to avoid potential legal issues. At least some of those brands, such as Heisler and Mooby, tried to get trademarks of their own.
– Fictional beers have a bit of a cult following. Someone even created a poster devoted to them. Not surprisingly, some of the more famous beers are trademarked, including Duff Beer and Romulan Ale.
Podcast News
– Ars Technica discusses why the holder of the podcast patent may be about to lose it once and for all.
– We’ve been catching up on the Lawyerist podcast. Check out a great episode on technology adoption here.
– We are launching a podcast focusing on US trademarks. If you are interested in being a guest or have suggestions for topics you would like to hear more about, let us know!
Odds and Ends
– According to CNN, the days of frantically burying your phone in a bowl of dry rice after getting it wet may soon be over for iPhone users.
– The USPTO proposed changes to the declaration and signature portion of trademark application forms.
– Many non-IP lawyers ask our CEO, Nehal Madhani, how to start an IP practice. Well, we recorded some tips and made a webinar. Check it out here. Pass it along if you don’t feel like explaining to those new to IP.