Registered Does Not Mean Forever: Why Continuous Trademark Use Matters
A federal registration does not protect a trademark forever. Learn why continuous use in commerce and regular portfolio reviews are key to keeping your rights.
Summer Trademark Filing Tips: Protect Your Brand Before Business Heats Up
Summer marketing raises your brand’s visibility — and the stakes. A practical checklist for filing your trademark before a conflict forces a costly rebrand.
First-to-File vs. First-to-Use: Why Understanding the Difference Can Save Your Brand
The U.S. grants trademark rights through use; most countries grant them to whoever files first. Understanding the difference protects your brand abroad.
Taylor Swift’s Voice Trademark: Can AI Clone a Brand Identity?
Taylor Swift is trying to trademark her voice. Can trademark law, built on use in commerce, protect a celebrity voice against AI imitation?
Intellectual Property in M&A: Protecting Trademarks & Copyrights in the AI Era
In today’s M&A market, brand identity and copyrighted content drive both deal value and legal risk. What IP due diligence and post-merger integration require.
Trademark Appeals Board: “CHATGPT” Is Descriptive but Can Still Be Registered ⚖️
The TTAB held that CHATGPT is descriptive, yet OpenAI’s application survives on acquired distinctiveness under Section 2(f). Here is what it means for tech brands.
Want to Trademark a Sound? Here’s How Brands Like Intel, NBC, and MGM Did It
When you think of a trademark, you might picture a logo, wordmark, or slogan. But did you know that a sound can also be protected as a trademark? From the deep roar of MGM’s lion to NBC’s iconic three-note chimes to Intel’s futuristic audio logo, sound marks are a powerful way for brands to stand […]
Why the Twitter® Trademarks Are Being Challenged: Understanding Abandonment Under U.S. Trademark Law.
When a company stops using a brand, the law does not allow that company to indefinitely block others from using it. In the United States, trademark rights exist to protect active commercial use, not to preserve “museum pieces” of branding that no longer function in the marketplace. That principle is at the heart of a […]
Federal Ban on Intoxicating Hemp Products Deepens Trademark Uncertainty for CBD Brands.
The regulatory landscape for hemp and CBD products has grown more complex following the recent enactment of a federal ban targeting intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoids. While the 2018 Farm Bill had opened the door for hemp’s lawful production and removed it from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), that opening has narrowed once again—this time through bipartisan […]
???? Why Trademark Protection Matters in the Fragrance Industry: The Truth Behind “Inspired By” Perfumes.
The perfume world is full of creativity, luxury, and competition—but it’s also filled with confusion. If you’ve ever walked into a store or browsed online and seen perfumes labeled “similar to” or “inspired by” major luxury brands, you may have wondered: Is that even legal? If you’re a brand owner—or an entrepreneur considering entering the […]