How long do trademarks last? They can last forever, in theory. Bass beer’s distinctive red triangle label was the UK’s first registered trademark back in 1876. It is UK trademark registration Number 00000000001. However, trademark rights disappear if they’re not in continuous use. Use it or lose it. Loss of rights in a trademark is referred to as “abandonment.” I’ve written about trademark abandonment before, but a recent high-profile case involving Google’s Android mark has brought the issue to the public’s attention yet again.
Menu
Keep it Legal Blog
Kickstarter Game Lawsuit: Magic vs. Hex
May 28, 2014
Kickstarter has become a great way for game designers to get their products made. In terms of total dollars raised, games are Kickstarter’s most successful category (Kickstarter is nice enough to make some interesting stats available here.) Game designers can now appeal directly to fans and give them what they want. And often, what fans want is something kind of like what they already enjoy. That’s how intellectual property lawsuits are born, folks. In the latest example, Wizards of the Coast (publishers of Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons) have filed suit against Cryptozoic Entertainment and Hex Entertainment for…
Major League Baseball Goes After Fan Podcasts?
May 20, 2014
The baseball blog and podcast world was shaken up early in May with news that several baseball fan podcasts had been removed from iTunes for trademark reasons. Major League Baseball (MLB), which owns the trademarks associated with the various teams, was accused of having betrayed its diehard fans in the interest of locking down its intellectual property. What really happened, and is it OK to use the name or logo of a team in your blog or podcast?
Social Media Law: Can Employers Require Disclaimers by Employees?
May 13, 2014
It’s been a while since I took a look at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and its rulings on employer social media policies. A recent case involving the grocery chain Kroger addressed the question of whether employers can require employees to post a disclaimer whenever they communicate about work-related issues online. This is an exploration of an evolving part of social media law.
