Intellectual Property Law

Fed’l Judge Shuts Down Web TV Rebroadcasts; Exec Fires Back with Claim She Overstepped

Lawyers for an Internet television provider had argued that its $5-per-month rebroadcasts of major network and cable programs to a wider coverage area weren’t prohibited by copyright law or Federal Communications Commission regulations. But a federal judge in New York found that reasoning less than persuasive today and issued a…

Feb 22, 2011 9:26 PM CST

Two More IP Litigators Exit Howrey, This Time for Ropes & Gray and Levenfeld Pearlstein

Updated: As observers wait to see what happens with a large block of Howrey partners who have reportedly received offers from Winston & Strawn, two of their colleagues have left Howrey for other law firms. Ropes & Gray has confirmed that intellectual property litigator James Batchelder, 47, has joined as…

Feb 22, 2011 8:03 PM CST

6th Circuit ‘Bow Wow Wow’ Opinion Cited by Lawyer Eyeing Suit Against Britney Spears

A federal appeals court decision involving copyright protection for dog-related words is emboldening a lawyer for the Bellamy Brothers. A statement by lawyer Christopher Schmidt sees similarities between the Britney Spears pop song “Hold It Against Me” and the Bellamy Brothers country music song “If I Said You Had a…

Feb 22, 2011 6:49 PM CST

Subway Sued by Midwest Chain Asserting Right to Advertise Its ‘Footlong’ Sandwiches

A legal dispute in Iowa has some of the trappings of high school: food fights and grammar debates. The legal clash revolves around whether “footlong” is a noun that describes Subway sandwiches or an adjective that can be used to describe any 12-inch sandwich, the Des Moines Register reported. Iowa-based…

Feb 16, 2011 10:54 PM CST

Hogan Lovells Woos and Wins 5-Partner Howrey Team Headed by IP Litigation Rainmaker

The San Francisco office of Howrey has just lost another leading rainmaker. Intellectual property litigator K.T. “Sunny” Cherian moved to Hogan Lovells on Saturday along with a four-partner team from Howrey and a reputed $10 million book of business, the Recorder reports. As the Recorder notes, Cherian’s move may not…

Feb 15, 2011 12:01 AM CST

Suit Accuses Coach Inc. of Improper Crackdown on eBay Handbag Sellers

A woman who tried to sell her Coach handbag on eBay is suing the company after its lawyers accused her of selling counterfeit goods and threatened her with a $2 million penalty. Gina Kim says she purchased the $428 handbag with her employee discount when she worked at a Coach…

Feb 11, 2011 5:51 PM CST

Binder & Binder Awarded $292K; Suit Claimed Google Competitor Purloined Its Name

The law firm Binder & Binder has been awarded $292,000 in a trademark infringement suit against a competitor that paid Google to have its ad appear when people searched for the Binder name. U.S. District Judge George King of the Central District of California ruled that the Disability Group Inc.…

Feb 10, 2011 5:23 PM CST

Sarah Palin and Daughter, Bristol, Seek to Trademark Their Names

Former Alaska governor and onetime vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is reportedly seeking to trademark her name. And so is her daughter, Bristol, who has become something of a celebrity in her own right. The move is traditionally unusual for a politician. However, both women have made a name for…

Feb 5, 2011 1:51 AM CST

Facebook Removes ‘Adventists for Life’ Page After Infringement Complaint

Facebook has removed a page for a group calling itself Adventists for Life after the Seventh-Day Adventists claimed trademark infringement. Seventh Day Adventist spokesman Garrett Caldwell told the Washington Post that “Adventist” and “SDA” are trademarked and registered names. “We are working hard to try to protect the name and…

Feb 1, 2011 12:00 PM CST

Koch Industries Sues over Fake Press Release; Does First Amendment Protect Pranksters?

Koch Industries is asking a federal court in Utah to force two Internet companies to reveal who issued a fake press release suggesting an unexpected about-face in environmental stance by the conservative leaning conglomerate. The press release said the conservative-leaning Koch Industries is cutting off support for groups opposing global-warming…

Jan 28, 2011 12:07 PM CST

Lawyer’s Trademarked ‘Court Coach’ Name Is Part of Unbundled Approach

A Connecticut lawyer has a name for her unbundled legal services: Partners-in-Law. Greenwich lawyer Barbara Shea tells NewsTimes.com that Partners-in-Law is a part of her law firm that allows people to represent themselves, with some legal guidance to point them in the right direction. One Norwalk woman, for example, used…

Jan 26, 2011 4:03 PM CST

After Hack Attacks and Death Threats, Lawyer Tells Court, He’s Dropping File-Share Suits

Citing “immense hassle to me and my family,” a lawyer pursuing controversial file-sharing claims has told a British court that he is dropping the litigation due to hack attacks, bomb threats and death threats. Solicitor Andrew Crossley of ACS:Law now says he has dropped all such work, in a statement…

Jan 25, 2011 10:17 PM CST

As Howrey Profits Plummet, Partner Says ‘We’ll Take a Torpedo or Two’ But Likely Won’t Sink

With profits that reportedly may have dipped as much as 55 percent below projections for 2010 and a steady stream of partners heading for the door, the future isn’t entirely clear at Howrey. Following the announced departure of Henry Bunsow with a reputed $20 million book of business, head honcho…

Jan 24, 2011 8:14 PM CST

Quinn Emanuel Boosts Profits Per Partner to $3.62M, Hires Associates as Quickly as Possible

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan added lawyers last year and boosted its profits per partner by 16 percent. Quinn Emanuel reported 2010 profits per partner of $3.62 million, the Am Law Daily reports. The law firm still trails Wachtell, Lipson, Rosen & Katz, which reported $4.3 million in profits per…

Jan 24, 2011 1:59 PM CST

Manatt Phelps to Pay $25M to Settle Malicious Prosecution Case Over Princess Di Memorabilia

A California law firm found to be too quick on the draw in bringing a big-bucks trademark suit on behalf of the estate of Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales and a memorial fund in her name is now having to pull out its own wallet. With the help of its…

Jan 21, 2011 9:54 PM CST