Dearest Readers,
Dan Corbett set an impressive standard for this site. When you ask this young man who his favorite bloggers are in the field, he delivers a spreadsheet. Ask him, “what is a blog?” and he patiently indulges your willful technophobia. It seems he grew up without a speed-limit on the information highway.
Latest from Pittsburgh Trademark Lawyer
Signing Off (and Turning Over the Keys)
After more than three years of blogging at Pittsburgh Trademark Lawyer, this will be my last post. I am leaving Elliott & Davis (the firm that has graciously indulged my blogging habit this entire time) to pursue other professional opportunities.
I have enjoyed the last three years, and, as someone who firmly believes in learning
College Football, Cookies, and Finding a Balance in Trademark Protection
College football season is upon us. This weekend, a lot of eyes will by on my alma mater as they take on Penn State in its first game in the wake of the recent scandal. A lot of eyes will be glued to TV sets and filling the stands in stadiums across the country. And
Newton Running and the Importance of Effective Branding
Not all lawyers think and write about branding strategies. Tom Galvani does, and he offers us some nice observations on Newton Running. After a few minutes of impromptu guilt for being behind on the Sisyphean Runners World training schedule I’m currently using, I thought about Newton and what it takes to make
N.Y. Court Rules That “INSTANT HEART ATTACK” Can Stay on Menu, Despite Trademark Claims
There’s been a lot of talk on blogs and in the media on the recent decision by the Southern District of New York in a case involving a Las Vegas burger joint and a New York deli’s dispute over sandwich names that pay tribute to their cardiac side effects (the TRIPLE BYPASS BURGER and the INSTANT
Tale of a Trench-Coat
Luxury retailer Burberry has made excellent use of Facebook’s Timeline feature, using the tool to showcase advertisements and other photographs showing their products over the years. (If you scan down to the 1910s, you can check out some Burberry-brand aviator suits which I’m pretty sure would be tough to track down today.) This all sounds
Western PA Company and Captain Morgan Square Off on Trade Dress
For many years, Capri Sun had the pouched-beverage market cornered. As children, we were attracted to shiny, colorful packaging and the novelty of drinking from malleable pouch (despite the repeated frustrating experiences trying to insert the drink’s plastic straw without punching a hole in the side of the pouch).
Fast forward to today. Not all
Pumped Up Kicks
I’ve always been fascinated by the outer reaches of trademark protection. These examples of weird things (e.g., Boise State’s blue turf, or the sound of MGM’s roaring lion) make great anecdotes in social settings, and I like using these examples to get clients to think creatively about their branding strategies and what trademark
New Tech Blog: Pittsburgh Cyberlaw
Good karma and name-dropping (though not necessarily in that order) will get you everywhere in blogging (and perhaps in life in general).
So it is with much gratitude to the bloggers who gave me that initial street cred every blogger needs in the early days, that I introduce the Pittsburgh Cyberlaw blog (part of my
Book ’em, Danno: Facebook Updates User Agreement to Protect Trademark Rights in “Book”
Much of the discussion around Facebook’s changes in policy have revolved around privacy. But a recent revision to the company’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities has people talking about Facebook’s inclusion of a term designed to protect its trademark rights in the word “book.”
Jon Brodkin over at ars technica breaks it down nicely: