Alt Legal IP News – Issue #257
Bri Van Til | September 21, 2021
Act Ethically
If you’re approached by foreign counsel wanting to use your information because you’re domiciled in the US, just say no, folks.
A Latvian citizen has been sentenced to four years in prison and fined $4.5 million for defrauding trademark and patent holders with phony renewal notices.
We are pleased to announce that recordings of all Alt Legal Connect 2020 sessions are now freely available. Learn about how to avoid getting in trouble with the OED, how educating trademark examiners about cultural relevance may help you secure your trademarks, how to secure trademarks for cannabis-related products, and more!
By Design
Check out this cool video of the most common design patents over the course of the past 180 years.
There are many levels of IP protection for product designs. Read all about them!
The USPTO is hosting a design patent webinar this week. Sign up by tomorrow if you’re interested.
Oh, speaking of designs, look who just got a shiny new website and an exciting new blog!
TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter
Sports Illustrated model Genevieve Morton is suing Twitter for being slow to remove allegedly infringing images of her and for using its algorithm to create “unauthorized derivative work.”
A District Court Judge has ruled that Instagram is not liable for copyright infringement for its tool that enables third-party sites to display copyrighted material originally posted to Instagram.
A TikTok star is suing comedian Michael Che for his “homegrrl” sketch.
Professional Concerns
I’m not toying with you: Mattel is looking for an IP paralegal!
It’s not clear whether you actually need to enter the mountain to apply to be IP counsel at Intermountain Healthcare, but now I’m imagining some sort of ritual involving spelunking, and that sounds like a blast. But not like a blast that would cause the tunnel to close up. ‘Cause that wouldn’t be fun at all.
Oh MoMA, this deputy general counsel position sounds beautiful!
Offit Kurman—which is a law firm, not a command for your cat—is looking for a trademark associate.
Feel like you’re drowning at your current job? Consider applying to be commercial counsel at Snorkel instead.
The Wells Fargo wagon is a comin’ down the street looking for patent counsel.
I don’t know if Eric needs counsel, but Ericsson does.
If you’re obsessive about operations and procurement, consider serving as senior counsel for Fanatics.
Have an open role on your team? Send a link to your job listing to [email protected], and we’ll publish it in our next newsletter.
Odds and Ends
Is patent law blocking the invention of software to control autonomous cars?
British tabloid The Sun reported that tennis star Emma Raducanu had filed several trademark applications in the UK for clothing, perfume, cosmetics, and footwear. However, she did not file the trademark applications, and they’ve since been withdrawn.
How has the pandemic changed the way that women lawyers work?
Copyright holder agency IIPA is calling on China to tighten enforcement of copyright infringement. Also, if you’re curious what’s in China’s amended copyright law, the translation is now available.
With recent reforms, might PTAB instead be referred to as a “Kinder, Gentler Death Squad”?