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  • Trade Secrets and Teleworking: How to Protect Your Rights in an Evolving Crisis By: R. Devin Ricci Companies that rely upon trade secret information must remain diligent with their rights at all time – one inadvertent disclosure could, in theory, kill trade secret protection. As such, companies will need to adapt and revamp their security measures to account for the mass adoption of teleworking in response to the... Continue Reading... ....
  • USPTO Extends Certain Patent and Trademark Deadlines Under CARES Act By: R. Devin Ricci In addition to providing financial support to individuals and small business, the much discussed CARES Act also authorized government agencies like the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to extend certain deadlines prescribed by statute. As of time of publication, the USPTO has granted a 30 day extension for (1) the... Continue Reading... ....
  • Sharing is Not Caring: Copyright Violations in the Age of Email Distribution By Tyler Moore Kostal Over the past few years, Energy Intelligence Group (“EIG”) – the New York and London-based publisher of 15 newsletters for the oil and gas industry – has sued more than a dozen energy companies and investment houses, alleging violations of federal copyright law.  The alleged violations result from buying subscriptions to... Continue Reading... ....
  • Using Social Media Influencers or Employees to Tout Your Business? Make Sure They Follow the Rules By Jessica C. Engler, CIPP/US Whether you keep up with the Kardashians or you are just a casual Instagram user, you have probably been exposed to social media influencer posts. Due to social media’s increased marketing importance, companies will offer free products, money or other compensation to social media “influencers”, i.e. users that boast at... Continue Reading... ....
  • Cell Phone Reward and Risk By James R. “Sonny” Chastain, Jr. In a recent Supreme Court decision involving the Fourth Amendment, Justice Roberts noted that there are 396 million cell phones accounts in the United States for a nation of only 326 million people.  The cell phone provides numerous functions including access to contacts, data, information and the internet.  Some... Continue Reading... ....
  • Louisiana First Circuit Declines to Supply Right of Publicity to Barry Seal Succession By James R. “Sonny” Chastain, Jr. On June 21, 2018, the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeals addressed the right of publicity and right of privacy in connection with Barry Seal (“Seal”) and the movie titled “American Made”.  In 2014, Universal City Studios, LLC (“Universal”) entered an agreement to purchase the life story of Barry... Continue Reading... ....
  • Dilly Dilly on Infringement Demand By Sonny Chastain In its recent campaign, Bud Light recognizes true friends of the Crown by raising a cold adult malted beverage and chanting Dilly Dilly.  The marketing slogan was created apparently coming out of nonsense and fun.  In its campaign, Bud Light seems to want people to celebrate with a lighthearted toast of Dilly... Continue Reading... ....
  • General Mills Not Cheery about TTAB Ruling By Sonny Chastain General Mills filed an application to register the color yellow appearing as the uniform background on a box of Cheerios.   It contended that consumers have come to identify the color yellow specifically with Cheerios, when used in connection with the goods.  It submitted survey evidence and expert reports to support the claim... Continue Reading... ....
  • Net Neutrality Repealed: What it Means for Business By Lauren J. Rucinski and R. Devin Ricci As of December 14, 2017, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) repealed the so-called net neutrality regulations in a 3 to 2 vote along party lines. But what does this mean and how may this decision affect you or your business? To be honest, it is too early... Continue Reading... ....
  • The Defend Trade Secrets Act at Year One By Jessica Engler This article originally appeared in the Fall 2017 edition of DRI’s In-House Defense Quarterly On March 11th of this year, the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA) celebrated the one-year anniversary of its enactment.  The DTSA, 18 U.S.C. Section 1831, et seq. expanded the federal legal protection for holders of trade secrets presently... Continue Reading... ....