Last year I posted about how even small and midsized companies can use the Madrid system to extend protection of their U.S. trademark registrations overseas. To recap, the Madrid System allows trademark owners to file a single application seeking an International Registration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (“WIPO”) and then enables registrants to designate (...) [Read More]
Category Archives: International
Jamaica USA, Mon! Seacrets Wins Trademark Infringement, Injunction Against Coryn Group
May 1, 2012
With summer around the corner, it is only natural that our thoughts and attention start to shift to the shore. If you are from Mid-Atlantic, you are likely familiar with Seacrets (http://seacrets.com/), one of Ocean City, Maryland’s premiere entertainment destinations. Seacrets, which has nicknamed itself “Jamaica, USA”, started in 1988 as a single cabana type (...) [Read More]
When is Advertising Invasive or Just “Creepy”?
March 10, 2012
Cookies are one of my favorite things. Usually, this refers to the oatmeal raisin variety rather than those tiny bits of computer code that empower websites to remember a user’s login, keep items in a shopping cart and greet the user by name when she returns. Warm and fuzzy, right? Sometimes, not so much. I (...) [Read More]
What is Protected as “Private” Online?
March 10, 2012
Less than one might think. Online privacy focuses on the use of personal information and how it is contributed, collected, shared and used by the user and other people and companies providing web services. “Personally Identifiable Information” (a.k.a. “PII”) is protected by a web of laws – but non-personally identifiable information collected by many websites (...) [Read More]
Evil MegaUpload is Down, so too ProtectIP and SOPA?
January 20, 2012
Rupert Murdock’s tweets do not seem to have convinced Google or anyone else in the tech community to support SOPA and/or ProtectIP. Last night however, FBI agents working with New Zealand authorities claim to have “shutdown” Megaupload.com. Despite cyberattacks by Anonymous that briefly took down the DOJ, MPAA, RIAA and Universal Music Group websites last (...) [Read More]
Would you Support SOPA to Help the Ravens target Chinese Companies selling Counterfeit NFL Merchandise?
January 12, 2012
Baltimore Sun technology guru Gus Sentementes reports that the NFL Ravens are pushing to shut down websites in China selling knock-off Ravens gear as the team prepares to face and hopefully shut down Houston in the play-offs this weekend. Sentementes’ article mentions that the NFL supports SOPA (the House bill to stop online piracy). This (...) [Read More]
Google/Facebook/Twitter Blackout to protest SOPA?
January 6, 2012
Does anyone care what actual consumers want anymore? The Stop Online Privacy Act (SOPA) would allow large entertainment and media companies to have ISPs block “foreign” websites that host or display allegedly copyright-infringing materials. The technology community claims that SOPA, if made law, will end the Internet as we now know it. To illustrate their point, Wikipedia, (...) [Read More]
Maryland Lawyers for the Arts meets with Paraguayan Journalists about IPR at Ober|Kaler
October 13, 2011
What’s IPR you ask? Intellectual property rights. The U.S. Department of State once again asked lawyers from MLA to meet with a delegation of journalists and media lawyers from Paraguay. The Paraguayans are interested in how lawyers in the United States assist artists and record labels in halting piracy and counterfeiting. While the U.S. music (...) [Read More]
A Hater’s Guide to Golan v. Holder
October 7, 2011
At first I hated the idea of restoring copyrights in public domain works. This week the US Supreme Court heard arguments in Golan v. Holder taking me back to when Section 514 was first implemented. I hated the idea even though I am pro-copyright. I hated the idea despite my feeling that on some level (...) [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]
