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Is Band's Name Too Offensive For Trademark Approval? Image

Is Band's Name Too Offensive For Trademark Approval?

Scott Graham

Offensive band names are a staple of rock music. Rock fans of a certain age will remember The Dead Kennedys of punk rock fame. The Butthole Surfers, Pussy Galore and Dying Fetus developed substantial followings despite, or because of, their outrageous names. Oregon dance rock band The Slants is another that seems determined to provoke.

Features

The Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014 Image

The Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014

Richard H. Stieglitz & Nichol Chiarella

On Dec. 19, 2014, the President signed into law the long-awaited year-end tax package, the Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014 (TIPA). This law extended to the end of 2014 many but not all of the individual, business, and energy provisions that expired at the end of 2013. In addition, the law provides for a new tax-advantaged savings program to aide in meeting the financial needs of disabled individuals, called the " Achieving a Better Life Experience" (ABLE) program.

Features

Federal Circuit Finds Claims Directed to DNA Primers and Methods of Use Unpatentable Image

Federal Circuit Finds Claims Directed to DNA Primers and Methods of Use Unpatentable

Veronica Mullally Munoz

The Federal Circuit's decision in <i>Univ. of Utah Research Found. v. Ambry Genetics Corp.</i> is the latest in the series of <i>Myriad</i> cases dealing with the patentability of genetic material.

Features

Pricing It Right: Restructuring Billing Image

Pricing It Right: Restructuring Billing

Tam Harbert

As pressure on pricing continues, Big Law firms are buying (or building) analytics technology and hiring pricing specialists ' people who use market data, internal firm data and economics/pricing experience to ensure that firms are smart about bidding on work. The mission: Educate clients about the value the firm brings, while making sure to charge enough to make a profit.

Features

Unpaid Royalty Suits Rain Down on Music Streaming Services Image

Unpaid Royalty Suits Rain Down on Music Streaming Services

Ross Todd

Sirius XM Radio's recent clubbing in litigation over the rights to pre-1972 sound recordings has unleashed a series of suits against Google, Apple, Sony and music streaming service Rdio.

Features

Georgia Fed. Ct. Dismisses Suit Over <i>Honey</i> Films Image

Georgia Fed. Ct. Dismisses Suit Over <i>Honey</i> Films

Stan Soocher

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division, dismissed a lawsuit brought by hip-hop dancer Ereina "Honey Rockwell" Valencia over Universal's <i>Honey</i> and <i>Honey 2</i> movies, released respectively in 2003 and 2011.

Features

Discovery Sanctions In Litigation over Soap Opera Image

Discovery Sanctions In Litigation over Soap Opera

John Pacenti

A copyright infringement lawsuit centered on the Telemundo network's popular Spanish-language telenovela <i>El Rostro de Analia</i> has some melodrama of its own.

Columns & Departments

IP News Image

IP News

Jeffrey S. Ginsberg & Wyatt Delfino

Federal Circuit Finds Internet Method Unpatentable Under <i>Alice</i><br>Federal Circuit: No Collateral Estoppel For Similar, But Unrelated, Patent

Features

Sirius XM Lawyers' Blunder in Pre-1972 Recordings Case Image

Sirius XM Lawyers' Blunder in Pre-1972 Recordings Case

Lisa Shuchman

Soon after swooping in to represent Sirius XM Radio in potentially industry-shaking copyright litigation, O'Melveny &amp; Myers suffered a nasty setback when a judge ruled that newly cited precedent trumpeted by the firm had been overruled 60 years ago.

Features

Are Franchisors 'Employers'? Image

Are Franchisors 'Employers'?

Glenn Plattner & Kristy A. Murphy

The franchise agreement almost always contains a clause specifying that the franchisee is an independent contractor and that the franchisor and franchisee are not intending to create an employment relationship. But a number of recent decisions from around the country have raised the question: Is a franchisee really an employee of the franchisor, despite the written disclaimer in the franchise agreement?

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