Source: http://www.lawjournalnewsletters.com/trademarks/
Timestamp: 2019-04-26 06:34:16+00:00

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As Internet searching continues its rapid migration to mobile and inadvertent infringement becomes inevitable, the courts are likely to see an increase of litigation in this area.
In a nearly 50-page precedential opinion in a ruling of great significance to the entertainment industry, a TTAB panel of judges recently underscored the need to prove actual use in commerce in order to register a trademark, regardless of how low the standard for use under the Lanham Act has recently become.
In a nearly 50-page precedential opinion, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) panel of Judges Adlin, Heasely, and Lynch, underscored the need to prove actual use in commerce in order to register a trademark, regardless of how low the standard for use under the Lanham Act has recently become. Tao Licensing, LLC, v. Bender Consulting d/b/a Asia Pacific Beverages.
This article outlines the available options under the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board's ACR rules and discusses the strategic considerations in determining whether ACR might be advantageous, particularly in light of increasing pressure from clients to reduce costs and expedite the decision-making process.
What Will Impact Be of Supreme Court's Tam Decision?
In Matal v. Tam, the trademark case involving the name of the Asian-American rock band The Slants, the SCOTUS held that the portion of §2(a) of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. §1052(a), that prohibits the federal registration of potentially disparaging trademarks and service marks, violated the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment.
In Matal v. Tam, the SCOTUS held that a portion of Section 2(a) of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. §1052(a), prohibiting the federal registration of potentially disparaging trademarks and service marks, violated the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment.
Manufacturers vs. Exclusive Distributors: Who Owns the Trademarks?
The Third Circuit has adopted McCarthy's "ownership" test in determining whether a manufacturer or distributor owns a trademark in the absence of an express agreement between the parties.
Consumers might use "Google" as a verb, but that doesn't mean Google's trademark for its search engine is generic.
The creative story-telling that fueled the passion of fans inspired a number of them to expand the Star Trek universe on their own through "fan films," which can challenge the property owners' efforts to maintain the integrity and appeal of their franchise. If unchecked, unauthorized derivatives could lead to an eventual loss of the copyright and trademark rights that underlie the value of the property.
Nearly 70 years after it became law, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in January on whether §2(a) of the Lanham Act violates the First Amendment. The case, Lee v. Tam, focuses on the provision that forbids registration of trademarks that "disparage" people, institutions, beliefs or national symbols.
What happens in Vegas does not necessarily stay in Vegas. Such was the recent ruling by the USPTO that denied registration of the trademarks "Las Vegas Golden Knights" and "Vegas Golden Knights" to the newest NHL franchise, due to their similarity to Golden Knights of the College of Saint Rose, a mark owned by a small college in Albany, NY.
Entertainment and intellectual property practitioners and businesses should take note of these changes, as they directly inform the manner in which these matters will be handled moving forward and could potentially affect outcomes.

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