Features
Ninth Circuit Follows TTAB Policy: Questions Remain As to What Kinds of Unlawful Acts Bar Trademark Rights
The Ninth Circuit, in a case of first impression in that circuit, recently adopted the long-standing policy of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's ('PTO') Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ('TTAB') that 'use in commerce only creates trademark rights when the use is <i>lawful</i>.' <i>CreAgri Inc v USANA Health Sciences Inc.</i>, 474 F.3d 626 (9th Cir. 2007). The Ninth Circuit in <i>CreAgri</i> noted that 'at least one [other] circuit has adopted and applied this rule. <i>See United Phosphorous, Ltd. v. Midland Fumigant, Inc.</i>, 205 F.3d 1219, 1225 (10th Cir. 2000).'
Features
Practice Building Skills: Exceeding Clients' Expectations
Can asking your clients questions be the answer to increased business? We recently attended a legal marketing workshop in Philadelphia, and the main topic of conversation revolved around retaining clients, and what clients believe is important in their choice of attorney or law firm. We were not surprised to find that there is a huge disconnect between what clients are looking for in their choice of attorney, and what they believe they are receiving from their current law firm.
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Media & Communications Corner: Mark Beese, 'Marketing Guy,' Holland & Hart
Holland & Hart 'marketing guy' Mark Beese uses a combination of public relations and advertising to set the stage for business development. The doors open on new client relationships when potential buyers are familiar with the firm's capabilities and reputation in the legal marketplace.
Features
Feedback Made Easy for Partners
The objective in giving feedback is to enhance performance by supplying information to guide the individual toward the level and quality of work that is expected. This article contains seven steps to effective and useful feedback sessions.
Features
Customer Identification Programs
Section 326 of the USA PATRIOT Act requires financial institutions to implement a written Customer Identification Program (CIP) that is appropriate for the size and type of business and that includes minimum requirements. The CIP is intended to enable the institution to form a reasonable belief that it knows the true identify of each customer. The CIP must include account opening procedures that specify the identifying information to be obtained from each customer. It must also include reasonable and practical risk based procedures for verifying each customer's identity.
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Real Property Law
In-depth analysis of the latest rulings.
Features
Involuntary Petitions Under BAPCPA
As bankruptcy practitioners awaited the enactment and effective date of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 ('BAPCPA'), the multitude of speaking panels, journals, and cocktail conversations offering their speculative commentary on the anticipated effects of the amendments to Title 11 paid increased attention to the proposed amendments' effects on the remedies afforded to creditors under ' 303 of the Bankruptcy Code ' namely the involuntary bankruptcy petition.
Features
Valuing the Closely Held Business
Aside from the many important and critical issues involving children and family, the valuation of a closely held business or professional practice may be one of the most significant issues a practitioner will face when resolving the financial aspects of matrimonial matters. In that regard, one of the most important aspects that the valuator is confronted with is the establishment of a reasonable level of replacement compensation to assign to the owner in the valuation of an ownership interest.
Features
How Much Is Enough?
In employment class actions in federal court, such as class actions under Title VII for which Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23 provides the governing procedure, the most critical juncture in the case is often the plaintiffs' motion for class certification. That motion requires the court to evaluate whether the plaintiffs have met the Rule 23 requirements and may proceed as a class; denial of the motion generally deals a devastating blow to plaintiffs' claims. In a new ruling that employers can use to support their bids to defeat plaintiffs' motions for class certification under Rule 23, the Second Circuit recently clarified ' and strengthened ' the standard under which district courts should determine plaintiffs' satisfaction of Rule 23's requirements.
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