Best Coffee in America? Does Dunkin’ Donuts provide the Best Coffee in America? Maybe so, but the US Patent and Trademark Office has refused to allow them to register BEST COFFEE IN AMERICA as a trademark.When is a proposed trademark “merely laudatory,” and what the heck is “puffery?” Read on to find out.
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Keep it Legal Blog
WB Hobbit Lawsuit – Warner Brothers Sued over Lord of the Rings Games
November 21, 2012
WB Hobbit Lawsuit The estate of Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkein has sued Warner Brothers, producers of the upcoming trilogy of Hobbit movies, for copyright and trademark infringement over an alleged breach of the original 1969 contract that assigned merchandising rights to Tolkein’s novels. The Tolkein estate is demanding funds in excess of $80 million, and is asking the court to order WB to cease all allegedly infringing uses of the works and for all such works to be recalled from the market.
Twinkies Trademark for Sale
November 16, 2012
Twinkies Trademark for Sale Hostess trademarks for sale! Get your Twinkies trademark right here! Sadly, trademarks are not usually sold by old-timey ballpark vendors, although if someone wants to start that trend, I’m happy to sign the petition. But today’s news that Hostess Brands, Inc. is going out of business means that Hostess’ portfolio of brand names, along with the company’s other assets, is, in fact, on the market. What does it mean to sell a trademark, and how does it work?
NLRB Ruling on Facebook Firing
November 8, 2012
NLRB Ruling on Facebook Firing When can an employee be terminated for inappropriate Facebook posts? A recent case involving a wrecked Land Rover and some cheap snacks at a neighboring BMW dealership sheds a bit of light on this issue.
