Copyrighted Legal Pleadings?

Apparently not according to the Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit.  In the case of Unclaimed Property Recovery Service et al v. Kaplan, former Plaintiffs in a Class Action lawsuit who had registered the Complaint and supporting documentation with the Copyright Register, sued their former lawyer for copyright infringement upon his use of the pleadings in filing … More Copyrighted Legal Pleadings?

S“Tit”ch for Tat Trademark War Pits Levi vs. A&F

The two iconic brands faced off recently in the Court of Appeals Federal Circuit over stitching. The appeal resulted from the Trademark Trial and Appeals Board “TTAB’s” decision to throw out Levi’s Opposition and Cancellation Proceedings against Abercrombie & Fitch “A&F” based upon “been there, done that” litigation at the District Court for the Northern … More S“Tit”ch for Tat Trademark War Pits Levi vs. A&F

When “Forever” Is Not Forever

Ambiguity in a contract never favors the drafting party. This basic principle of contract law came back to bite Marvel Comics in a recent Court of Appeals Second Circuit decision, Friedrich v. Marvel, regarding copyright renewal. Gary Friedrich, Plaintiff, allegedly authored or at least co-authored a series of stories and screenplay depicting the fictional Ghost … More When “Forever” Is Not Forever

Essential Points of Web Developer Agreements

Clients of my practice usually either have a website or are planning to get one. From an intellectual property “IP” standpoint, the developer agreement is critical to ensure the right content and code necessary for your business to attract clients and customers. There are many terms to consider including project scope, testing, hosting, ownership, payment … More Essential Points of Web Developer Agreements

Oprah Loses “Own Your Power” Trademark Skirmish

Everyone knows Oprah Winfrey. Attractive, eloquent and charismatic, she’s a brand unto herself. However, she recently came out on the short end of the stick in a trademark dispute with Simone Kelly-Brown, the owner of the registered service mark “Own Your Power.” Oprah’s media empire had used this phrase in a number of publications, at … More Oprah Loses “Own Your Power” Trademark Skirmish

Right of Publicity Trumps 1st Amendment in Hart Case

In a precedential decision, the Court of Appeals, 3rd Circuit, reversed a New Jersey District Court that had granted a Summary Judgment to Defendant Electronic Arts, Inc. “EA” in a video game dispute with the Plaintiff, former Rutgers quarterback, Ryan Hart.  Hart played for Rutgers from 2002-2005 taking the Scarlet Knights to the Insight Bowl … More Right of Publicity Trumps 1st Amendment in Hart Case