Intellectual Property

The United Kingdom Trade Marks Registry has indicated that, in October 2007, in examining applications, it will no longer object to applications on the basis of prior rights. From October forward, the “full relative rights examination system” will be abandoned and it will be solely up to the prior rights owners to oppose applications when […]

EURid, the registry administering the “.eu” domain has announced that it has blocked 74,000 “.eu” domain names and issued legal proceedings against 400 registrars for breach of contract for registering domain names in the names of phantom companies under the registrars’ control. Such action would violate the “.eu” registrar agreement, which forbids warehousing practices. EURid […]

The registrar Dotster, Inc. has been sued in U.S. District Court in Washington State, based on causes of action including cybersquatting, trademark infringement, false designation of origin and dilution, as well as state and common law counts. Whereas a French court earlier this year imposed liability on a registrar after it had registered various infringing […]

On August 24, 2006, the Department of Commerce’s United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) released for public comment a draft five-year strategic plan designed to foster American innovation and competitiveness at home and around the globe. The draft plan, for which public comment — including suggestions, questions and other input — is being solicited, […]

If your company is incorporated under a name like “XYZ, Inc.” but drops the “Inc.” in its use of the name, it is required under the California Business & Professions Code to file a fictitious business name statement. Section 17900 of the Code mandates that a corporation doing business other than in the name stated […]