In this episode of The Briefing by the IP Law BlogScott Hervey and Josh Escovedo provide an update on the copyright infringement dispute between a paparazzo and Emily Ratajkowski, and discuss the settlement’s implications for Fair Use.

Continue Reading The Briefing by the IP Law Blog: What The Settlement of Ratajkowski/Paparazzi Copyright Lawsuit Means For Fair Use

Trademark law was developed to help protect a seller’s “brand” in connection with the marketing and labeling of products for sale to avoid “consumer confusion.” One rarely litigated aspect of trademark law is that the use of the trademark must be for a lawful purpose. The Ninth Circuit recently tackled this issue in AK Futures LLC v. Boyd Street Distro, LLC (decided May 19, 2022), a case that involved e-cigarette and vaping products derived from cannabis. Continue Reading Trademark Protection and the Lawful Use Requirement

In this episode of The Briefing by the IP Law BlogScott Hervey and Josh Escovedo provide an update on the dispute between the original USFL and Fox, over the network’s attempt to revive the football league.

Continue Reading The Briefing by the IP Law Blog: Judge Throws a Flag on the Play in USFL IP Litigation

A design patent protects a new, original, ornamental design for an article of manufacture. 35 USC section 171. “Ornamental” means that the design is purely decorative; the patentability is based on its visual aspects. Those aspects are the shape or configuration of an article (like the shape of a bottle or a vase), the surface ornamentation on the article (like a painting on the bottle or vase), or a combination of both. The design must be a design for a specific article; it cannot exist independently of the article. The must be visible during normal use of the article; it cannot be concealed. Continue Reading What is a Design Patent?

In this episode of The Briefing by the IP Law BlogScott Hervey and Josh Escovedo discuss a photographer’s copyright infringement action against the Andy Warhol Foundation, over several Warhol paintings that utilize the photographer’s images as source material. Continue Reading The Briefing by the IP Law Blog: The Supreme Court Grants Certiorari in Copyright Infringement Action Involving Warhol, Prince, and Goldsmith