Insights

Earlier this year we wrote about the issues surrounding name changes in the public and private education space as well as the rebranding of the Washington Football Team. The push toward such changes has continued as we head into 2021, warranting an update. Although this blog focuses on naming in public spaces, it is also worth […]

You have had a rough day. After having your car towed, you dropped a bag of groceries, shattering a jar of mayonnaise. Dejected, you collapse onto the couch and scroll your Instagram feed for some needed distractions. When you discover an image of a football player getting tackled by two separate linebackers simultaneously, the schadenfreude […]

This post is an update. Read the original post here, the first addendum here, the third addendum here and the fourth addendum here. In May and June of this year, we wrote about the copyright dispute between the Internet Archive and four major publishing companies — Hachette Book Group Inc., HarperCollins Publishers LLC, John Wiley & […]

On October 28, 2020, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) issued a new Examination Guide detailing procedures for reviewing trademark applications for “generic.com” terms. The USPTO offered this guidance in response to the Supreme Court’s decision in United States Patent and Trademark Office v. Booking.com B.V. We discussed this case in two previous […]

Under the Copyright Act, creators of copyrighted works may terminate prior transfers of their copyrights to third parties regardless of any conflicting contract terms. Recognizing the limited bargaining power creators hold when originally agreeing to these transfers, especially when dealing with large corporate rightsholders, Congress created this right in an effort to level the playing […]

On November 3, Californians voted in favor of Proposition 24, the California Privacy Rights and Enforcement Act of 2020 (CPRA), which would expand the privacy protections enacted under the 2018 legislation, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). Like its progenitor, Proposition 24 is limited in scope to California businesses and consumers but will likely dictate […]

As the fireworks lit the sky over the White House during the Republican National Convention in August, some songs traditionally associated with conservative politics accompanied the fanfare, including “God Bless the USA” and “You’re a Grand Old Flag.” However, one particularly interesting choice was the late Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” as performed by singer-songwriter Tori Kelly. […]

A “Free the Flag” campaign is raging in Australia, the latest chapter in a long-simmering controversy over the copyright rights to the Aboriginal flag. The controversy raises issues of fair dealing in copyright licensing. The flag was designed in 1971 by indigenous artist and copyright holder Harold Thomas for a national Indigenous Day. In 1995 […]

On July 14, 2020, DTTM Operations LLC (“DTTM”), the entity that holds trademarks for President Donald Trump’s for-profit businesses, filed an application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“PTO”) seeking the exclusive right to use the term TELERALLY as a service mark for “organizing events in the fields of politics and political campaigning.” […]

How do schools draw the line between protecting student privacy and informing the community about the spread of COVID-19? When it comes to transparency, many believe schools are not doing enough to prevent spread in the classroom by informing students and parents when a classmate, teacher or other employee tests positive for COVID-19. In response, […]