Us Trademark Law

Introduction to Intellectual Property provides a clear, effective introduction to patents, copyright, trademarks, and trade secrets. The text may be used by students and instructors in formal courses, as well as those applying intellectual property considerations to entrepreneurship, marketing, law, computer science, engineering, design, or other fields. The luminaries involved with this project represent the forefront of knowledge and experience, and the material offers considerable examples and scenarios, as well as exercises and references.

Trademarks were traditionally protected in the United States only under State common law, growing out of the tort of unfair competition. As early as 1791, Thomas Jefferson proposed that the marks of sailcloth makers could be protected under the Commerce Clause,[1] but it was not until 1870 that Congress first attempted to establish a federal regime for the protection of trademarks. This statute, purported to be an exercise of the Copyright Clause powers, was struck down in the Trade-Mark Cases, leading Congress to finally create a successful act under its Commerce Clause power in 1881.A major revision was enacted in 1905, and in 1946, Congress passed the Lanham Act (15 U.S.C. §§ 1051-1127), which currently defines federal protection and registration for trademarks, and grants administrative authority to the United States Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO"). State law continues to add its own protection, complementing the federal system.

This book addresses the issue of trademark use that may be required for the protection and/or maintenance of trademark rights. Since the first edition of this book in 2018, there have been significant modifications in some countries, particularly, following the implementation of EU Directive 2015/2436 in the EU countries. Laws around the world do not attach the same consequence to the lack of use of a trademark, and courts do not always assess in the same way whether a trademark is genuinely used. This is a fundamental issue for trademark owners since, depending on the jurisdiction, lack of genuine use can lead to the refusal of trademark registration, the revocation of trademark rights, or prevent the owner of a non-used trademark from initiating an action based on its trademark. This detailed analysis provides clarity, insight, and guidance on the legal issues and practical implications of genuine use of trademarks in twenty-six jurisdictions worldwide. This book was developed within the framework of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI), a non-affiliated, non-profit organization dedicated to improving and promoting the protection of intellectual property at both national and international levels. This topic was the subject of an AIPPI study, and its subsequent Resolution – The Requirements of Genuine Use of Trademarks for Maintaining Protection (2011, Hyderabad) – which aims to harmonize this issue of genuine use of trademarks. The authors of the chapters for each jurisdiction were carefully selected based on their extensive experience and in-depth knowledge of trademark protection in their respective jurisdictions. Each chapter considers issues and topics such as the following: types of use that qualify as genuine use of a trademark, including requirements as to whether uses are consistent with the function of the trademark or made in the course of trade; requirements as to the volume, duration, and frequency of use; impact of the trademark’s designation of goods and services; issues relating to the sign used, particularly, if it is used in a different form from the registered trademark (this includes consideration of alteration of the distinctive character, or the potential impact of a plurality of registered trademarks for different signs, or the question of use in black and white or in colour); proof to be provided to evidence genuine use as a trademark, including issues of timing and territory; situations in which the issue of genuine use can be of importance; valid reasons for non-use; consequences of lack of use depending on the context, including possible revocation of trademark rights; and case law examples. As a comparative law study and a collection of contributions from around the world on a key issue of trademark law, this book is of tremendous practical interest. Trademark owners, parties involved in or contemplating enforcement proceedings, and interested legal practitioners will benefit greatly from its thorough comparative analysis and guidance. It is also exceptionally valuable as a comprehensive resource for academics and researchers interested in the international harmonization of trademark law.

"This treatise is a comprehensive and up-to-date guide to the law of trademarks and unfair competition. It provides a thorough introduction to the federal laws protecting registered trademarks and trade dress, as well as the broad array of federal and state unfair competition doctrines which protect unregistered trademarks and trade dress. Coverage includes the standards and procedures for obtaining federal registration, the rights and remedies available to owners of both registered and common law marks under federal and state law, and the full array of applicable defenses"--

Increasingly, firms use licensing to exploit and commercialize trademarks internationally. In a globalized market, the free flow of goods and services by means of licensing requires detailed knowledge of national legal provisions and principles that apply to agreements of this type. This chapter-by-chapter comparative overview on the law and application of trademark licensing worldwide – including chapters on such key commercial jurisdictions as the EU Member States, the United Kingdom, the United States, Brazil, and Japan – is written by a team of experienced and distinguished attorneys, each representing a particular country. Each contributor describes and analyses legal challenges and offers practical guidance on licensing issues in his or her national jurisdiction. Within this framework, each chapter discusses such issues and topics as the following: country-specific regulations on trademark licensing; particular legal requirements to be complied with prior to entering into a license agreement; antitrust legislation affecting the scope of a license agreement; breach of a trademark licensing agreement; circumstances under which a breach of contract also constitutes a trademark infringement; permitted extent of non-compete or non-challenge clauses; licensee’s standing to sue third parties for trademark infringement; effect of invalidation or expiry of the licensed trademark on the agreement; and licensee’s right to claim entitlement to goodwill in the trademark, or a right to compensation, for investments made in the trademark. Because of the broad range and variety of countries covered, the book will be welcomed by legal practitioners dealing or coming into contact with trademark licensing in practically any jurisdiction. Taken together, the chapters provide invaluable insights into the similarities and differences among the covered jurisdictions, helping trademark holders and their counsel to understand the particulars of a specific market and deciding whether to enter it or not. It will also be valuable as a comprehensive resource for academic researchers or policymakers interested in the international harmonization of intellectual property licensing law.

(a) The Act as used in this part means the Trademark Act of 1946, 60 Stat. 427, as amended, codified in 15 U.S.C. 1051 et. seq. (b) Entity as used in this part includes both natural and juristic persons. (c) Director as used in this chapter, except for part 11, means the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. (d) Federal holiday within the District of Columbia means any day, except Saturdays and Sundays, when the United States Patent and Trademark Office is officially closed for business for the entire day. (e) The term Office means the United States Patent and Trademark Office. (f) The acronym TEAS means the Trademark Electronic Application System, available at http: //www.uspto.gov. (g) The acronym ESTTA means the Electronic System for Trademark Trials and Appeals, available at http: //www.uspto.gov

Mastering Trademark and Unfair Competition Law provides a clear and concise presentation of the basic principles underlying and the challenges facing a student or practitioner of trademark law in a digital age. This book traces the evolution of trademark law from its origin as a common law tort of unfair competition and associated common law trademark rights, to the most recent amendments to the federal Lanham Trademark Act. The book lays a solid foundation covering the basics of obtaining trademark and trade dress rights; federal trademark registration practice, including a discussion of practice before the TTAB; trademark infringement; defenses; and remedies. Mastering Trademark and Unfair Competition Law also has extensive coverage of the dilution of famous trademarks. Mastering Trademark and Unfair Competition Law thoroughly discusses all of the elements of the modern trademark practice. It has extensive discussions of new technologies such as Internet domain names, web pages, keyword advertising, virtual worlds, and computer games, as well as how trademark law has responded to the challenges presented by new forms of trademark use. There are chapters on cybersquatting under the Uniform Domain Name Resolution Policy (UDRP) and international trademark law including review of treaties such as the Paris Convention and the Madrid Protocol. The goal of this book is to ground the reader in the law, policies, and theories of trademark law so that the reader can better understand the legal and economic role of trademarks and brands in a modern economy.