Charlie Sheen's Trademark Counsel
Wilmington, DE-based Connolly Bove Lodge & Hutz has ventured into the world of pop culture through its Los Angeles office. Records on file with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office show that partner Grant T. Langton is helping Charlie Sheen, the former star of the CBS sitcom <i>Two and a Half Men</i>, with a trademark endeavor. Sheen is trying to trademark 22 catchphrases, as well as his name and signature.
Uphill Battle in Infringement Suits Against Studios
Two artists suing Dreamworks for copying the Kung Fu Panda character and concept. And while history shows that plaintiffs taking on Hollywood with such claims rarely succeed in court, at least some copyright experts believe that one of these cases may be an exception.
<b>Decision of Note</b> Film Owner Can't Claim Copyright Protection for Actor's Multiple Roles
To determine whether a defendant's work is substantially similar to a plaintiff's work in a copyright infringement case, courts generally first discard any unprotectable elements from the plaintiff's work. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York recently ruled that the use of one actor to play multiple roles in the plaintiff's 1949 comedy film <i>Kind Hearts and Coronets</i> wasn't a protectable element for proving infringement by the authors of a stage musical adapted from the film.
Strategies for Using the IFTA Arbitration Process
More film productions have become international affairs, with shooting in faraway exotic locations, post-production in still other foreign countries, production funding from international sources, and sales in both foreign and domestic markets. The question then is how best to resolve disputes arising among the vast cast of characters in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
The Next Trial Advantage
Every lawyer in America has heard of the iPad, and there are some surveys that show a significant number of us also own one. There is no question that the iPad's portability is a big advantage, or that the technology behind it is rock solid. The question, up until recently, has been whether or not the iPad is capable of some of the heavy lifting the business of litigation requires. While apps specifically designed for professionals are still somewhat rare, I've found a few that answer the question with a resounding "yes."
IP News
Highlights of the latest intellectual property news from around the country.
Search Engine Advertising Trademark Claims
In <i>Network Automation, Inc. v. Advanced Systems Concepts, Inc.</i>, the Ninth Circuit: 1) expressly held that the use of a trademark as a search engine keyword for the purpose of triggering advertisements is a "use in commerce" of that trademark under the Lanham Act; but 2) vacated a preliminary injunction, finding that the district court's analysis of consumer confusion in the Internet context was too narrow.
Online Behavioral Advertising
The first quarter of this year has been marked by a rise of awareness and legal activity surrounding the question of behavioral, or targeted, advertising ' a significant area of operation and interest for e-commerce firms.
Clarification
In the Bob Marley litigation cover article in our March 2011 issue, the co-author, Barry E. Mallen, served as counsel to the Marley interests.
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Cutting Edge Case Developments in Film and TV Law<br>Entertainment Law in Review: 2010-2011
