I ♡ Trademarks NewsletterIssue #266
Bri Van Til | November 30, 2021
Vaccines and Variants
The WTO was supposed to meet today to discuss vaccine access and possible IP waivers, but the Omicron variant caused that meeting to be postponed indefinitely.
This OpEd article suggests that the new variant may is shedding light on a “vaccine apartheid.”
Here’s an in-depth explanation of the battle between Moderna and the US government for vaccine patent rights.
Nursing unions the world over are petitioning the UN to get vaccine IP rights waived.
Because it can’t get access to the vital drug, a South African lab is working to replicate Moderna’s vaccine.
Ornaments
Get into the holiday spirit with the latest products on the Trademarket, Alt Legal’s punny trademark swag store with, where all proceeds go to charity. I especially love this Merely Ornamental hoodie.
Sony has filed a patent application for an ornamental faceplate for PS5s. If only there were PS5s to put them on.
Keeping up with the battle between Peloton and Lululemon about activewear ornamental design patents and trade dress infringement might make your head spin.
“The Banksy of Trademarks”—whose trademark applications were subject to disputes from Beyoncé, Disney, and Kobe Bryant—said that he has retired from filing trademark applications, and his explanation for his filing spree is fascinating.
Never Enough NFTs
Here’s an overview of the overlap between NFTs and fashion.
Don’t forget the “non-fungible” in Non-Fungible Tokens: a work that is owned by multiple people may become multiple NFTs, apparently.
Miramax and Quentin Tarantino are in a spat about NFTs related to Pulp Fiction. Maybe they need to send in the Wolf.
Professional Concerns
AM General is looking for associate counsel, but, couldn’t everyone on their legal team say they were their (AM) General Counsel?
If you’re looking to Trade X job for Y job, maybe you should consider being chief legal counsel for this company.
Do you think you could ask to have your title be Animal Welfare Queen [or King or Royalty] if you got the job as general counsel for the Animal Welfare Association?
I calculate that you might be interested in serving as IP counsel for Boston Scientific.
Put on your Polo shirt and apply to be lead IP counsel for Ralph Lauren.
I’ve never Meta counsel for IP and content that I didn’t like.
The NHL is seeking associate counsel, so just pucking apply already!
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
How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted global IP filings?
The USPTO is hosting a webinar about its new identity verification process for trademark filers.
The Final Rules for the TMA were released. Check out this write-up to learn all about them. And don’t forget to join us for our webinar next week to learn how it’ll impact your practice.
How can you get employees to not just set goals but even to be able to reach goal enlightenment?
If you work with amazing in-house counsel, nominate them for this World Trademark Review award.