How Foreign Businesses Can Protect Their Intellectual Property Rights in The United States *Attorney Advertising*

In today’s obviously global (and seemingly universal) marketplace, it is understandable that some business owners and entrepreneurs are surprised to learn that their intellectual property is not automatically protected in other countries.  Patents, trademarks, and the like are territorial, meaning that they need to be registered in each individual country where protection is sought.  There […]

The Infringement I Caught On Camera in Mexico

I’m back from a trip to Mexico, and I snapped this shot to share with you.  This shoe brand logo looks strikingly similar to Nike’s, doesn’t it? Every time I travel to another country, I’m shocked by the infringements and counterfeits I see of US brands.  So many of us business owners are focused on […]

IP Lawyer Answers, “Should I Register My Trademark?” – Attorney Advertising

If you’ve recently started a business, you may be wondering what steps you should take to protect your new venture. This may include registering a trademark that you create to distinguish your business from others. Depending on the stage your business is in, you may already have a trademark. If your business is already selling […]

Work For Hire and Giving Away the Farm

If you provide creative solutions to your clients, make sure you carefully read the fine print and understand the full details of your legal agreement. It’s especially important for creative professionals to understand whether or not their deliverables are falling into the category of “Work For Hire.” If you are providing Work For Hire, do […]

The Importance of Building Trust

Trust is the building block of a successful company and brand. Above all, your clients and your customers must be able to trust you, your services and your products. Trust is what makes a person decide to return and eat at the restaurant they love even after they have moved across town. Trust allows a […]

The Importance of Intellectual Property Protection: The Small Brewery Example

Small business owners should be particularly knowledgeable about trademark and copyright issues. They need to protect themselves and their brand, while also being aware of infringing on other business brands. Let’s look at the small brewery as an example. With so many small breweries entering business, there are many potential legal issues that could arise. […]

Who owns the “Evil Empire”

The Wall Street Journal reported on an interesting trademark case that was brought against the New York Yankees. Apparently a private entrepreneur, known as “Evil Enterprises, Inc.” tried to register the trademark for the phrase “Baseballs Evil Empire” and was turned down by a panel of trademark judges in Washington, D.C. Evil Enterprises wanted to […]