Latin phrases ring of foreboding, especially when spoken by a lawyer or a priest. If I had walked into the offices of corporate counsel three years ago and shouted the words “QUI TAM” I would have been forcibly ejected (even though very few would have known the English translation). The full Latin phrase is qui (...) [Read More]
Monthly Archives: September 2011
Reebok pays $25M to kick FTC false advertising charge against EasyTone Shoes
September 28, 2011
Reebok paid $25 million to the Federal Trade Commission to settle charges of false and deceptive advertising. Although Adweek reports that Reebok disputes the FTC’s charges, Reebok agreed in sttling the charges that it is prohibited from making unsupported claims that consumers could strengthen and tone their muscles simply by wearing Reebok EasyTone and RunTone shoes. One (...) [Read More]
Ober IP Group enjoys Hacker Craft Exploit
September 27, 2011
Captain E. Scott Johnson takes Part I of the Ober|Kaler IP Group on a Baltimore Harbor tour Our annual summer outing in Baltimore’s working harbor on Scott Johnson’s 1930′s Era Hacker Craft speedboat has been rain delayed since August. Yesterday was clear and partly sunny so several of us jumped aboard in Caton. Once clear of (...) [Read More]
For International Brand Protection Consider Madrid
September 23, 2011
Brand protection in foreign countries is challenging. Just ask Steve Jobs who recently found out from an observant American ex pat that a very convincing knockoff Apple store was selling authentic apple products in Kunming, China. The store billed itself as an official Apple retail store and was so convincing that even the employees believed they (...) [Read More]
America Invents Act (H.R. 1249): Patent Reform is Here!
September 14, 2011
On September 8, 2011, the Senate approved the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (H.R. 1249). President Obama is expected to sign the bill into law any day now. This patent reform Act makes significant changes to United States patent law, including moving us closer to a first-to-file system. Some parts of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (...) [Read More]
