Alt Legal IP News – Issue #118
Justin Wickersham | December 11, 2018
You Win Some. You Lose Some.
– Beyoncé’s summary judgment request in her ongoing dispute against Feyoncé was denied.
– Anish Kapoor, the maker of Cloud Gate (or as I call it, The Bean), is declaring victory against the NRA.
– To celebrate obtaining a trademark registration for a sound, Zippo launched a global ASMR campaign.
Across the Pond
– Tech giants are publicly coming out against the EU’s new Copyright Directive.
– Cadbury was unsuccessful in their attempt to expand their trademark rights in Pantone 2685C.
– Cyprus lost a halloumi trademark in the UK after a “series of blunders.” One government official called this failure to take action an “act of suicide.”
Global Changes
– Japan is extending the country’s copyright term before the end of the year.
– Singapore granted its first accelerated patent under the country’s FinTech Fast Track initiative.
– WIPO released some updated stats and figures for global IP activity in 2017.
Odds and Ends
– A rapper is suing a video game maker for using his signature dance move, the Milly Rock, in Fortnite.
– Off-White is suing a children’s clothing company, which caters to “hypebeasts under the age of 10,” for trademark infringement.
– Should game theory guide patent prosecution decisions?
– I was recently a guest on Above the Law’s “From the Inside Out” podcast series. So, as a shameless plug, check out the episode here!