Alt Legal IP News – Issue #17
Hannah Samendinger | December 13, 2016
You can now subscribe to our podcast, Alt Trademarks, on iTunes and Google Play. Our latest episode (and the last one of 2016) features Amanda Conley and Shabnam Malek of Brand & Branch. We discuss starting a practice and some of the unique challenges facing cannabis businesses seeking IP protection.
Going Green
– In conjunction with our latest episode of Alt Trademarks, we are revisiting the current relationship between marijuana legalization and IP. Here is a quick review of some of the hurdles to getting a cannabis related trademark.
– TTAB is continuing to decline applications for use in connection with the sale of marijuana but also for any products that qualify as drug paraphernalia.
– While cannabis businesses are struggling to obtain trademarks, patents are a slightly different story.
– The United States government owns a marijuana related patent. Why?
A League of Their Own
– Michael Jordan went up against the Chinese legal system and won. Some are calling the victory a landmark legal decision.
– Planning to marry a Kardashian? That doesn’t mean the sisters will let you trademark your new name without a fight.
– Forever 21 is accused of copying a parody of Kanye West’s tour merch.
Is This Permanent?
– Who owns the legal rights to your tattoo?
– In one of the more well-known tattoo lawsuits, a tattoo artist sued a video game makerover the recreation of Lebron James’ tattoos. The case is still ongoing but the game makers won a big victory in August.
– Some sports leagues are now advising players to get copyright waivers from their tattoo artists.
Odds and Ends
– The Supreme Court is going to decide how much control a printer cartridge patent holderhas over how the cartridges are used after they are sold.
– Remember Snuggies? The company is now suing Amazon for allowing counterfeit items to flood the market.
– The well known civil rights song “We Shall Overcome” is at the center of a new copyright lawsuit, with one side alleging it is in the public domain.