IP – Dunner Law PLLC — Your IP Anchor

Jun 17 | 2022

A New, Affordable Way to Resolve Copyright Disputes

A new, streamlined alternative to federal court is now available to resolve copyright disputes involving claims up to $30,000. Established through the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement (CASE) Act of 2020, the Copyright Claims Board (CCB) is a three-person copyright…

Jun 08 | 2022

The USPTO Continues to Modernize its Practices

On May 24, 2022, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) switched from issuing and mailing paper trademark registration certificates to emailing electronic copies. The digital transition is meant to streamline the trademark registration process for all involved, and…

Sep 27 | 2020

Filing Copyright Applications During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Like many of us, the U.S. Copyright Office has been working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, statutory deadlines wait for no one, not even viruses. As a result, the Copyright Office has made temporary, optional changes and accommodations…

Mar 30 | 2020

Do Your Business Contracts Excuse Your Performance in Times of National Emergencies?

The fallout from the global COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted everyone’s life and upended nearly all channels of commerce. State and local governments are allowing only essential businesses to stay open and banning large public gatherings, resulting in travel, hotel and…

Feb 20 | 2020

How Brexit will Impact Pre-existing Registrations and Pending Applications in the EU

On January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom officially left the European Union after ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement between the UK Parliament and EU Parliament. The UK is now in a transition period until December 31, 2020, when the UK…

Jan 29 | 2020

Copyright Office to Clarify How to Determine Whether an Online Work is Considered Published for Registration Purposes

The U.S. Copyright Office seeks public comments to help the Copyright Office clarify what constitutes a “published” online work. Comments in response to the Notice of Inquiry Regarding Online Publication are due March 19, 2020. All works registered with…

Mar 14 | 2019

USPTO May Require Foreign Trademark Applicants To Utilize U.S. Counsel

In its ongoing efforts to ensure the integrity of the U.S. trademark register, encourage accuracy in applications and compliance with U.S. law, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on February 15, 2019 which,…

Feb 22 | 2019

McDonald’s Wins Battle, Loses War

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (“EUTM”) recently cancelled McDonald’s trademark registration for the BIG MAC word mark because it had not been put to “genuine use” in the European Union (“EU”) for five continuous years following the date of…

Jan 16 | 2019

Disclaimer Or No Disclaimer: That Is The Question

General Principles: When a trademark – in relation to the goods and services tendered in an application – comprises descriptive, generic or otherwise unregistrable matter, the United Patent and Trademark Office (“PTO”) is apt to request a disclaimer. While typically…

Nov 27 | 2018

Dunner Law Trademarks 101: What is a Trademark?

Trademarks can be a variety of things, such as words, names, phrases, symbols or designs, and even sounds. Trademarks have a dual purpose, helping businesses distinguish their products in the market, and in turn, helping consumers identify the source and…