The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) grants patents for the protection of inventions. Patent holders have the exclusive right to make, use, or sell an invention for a certain period of time. Filing a patent application is a complex process but it is necessary for the legal protection…

In the event that you are incapable of making decisions for yourself, assigning the power of attorney to a trusted relative or loved one is important in protecting your assets. The power of attorney is a legal document where an individual, also known as the principal, can appoint another individual…

You have probably seen a trademark symbol denoted by a small TM at the corner of a word or phrase, but what exactly does it mean? A trademark symbol is placed on a word or phrase that identifies a product or service provided by a particular source. Similar to a…

The debate surrounding the Washington “Redskins” name and logo has been ongoing for over two decades. On July 8, 2015, U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee upheld the earlier ruling of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) and ordered the cancellation of the Redskins trademark. Lee agreed that the…

Today we introduce you to the cousin of the infamous patent troll, the copyright troll. Similar to the patent troll, copyright trolls are people or organizations that contract with multiple copyright holders in order to obtain the right to litigate on their behalf. These “trolls” then track down copyright infringers,…