Floor plans are a key part of real estate listings, providing fundamental information about the layout of a building to prospective buyers or renters. But home designer Charles James and his company Designworks Homes, Inc. filed a lawsuit in 2018 raising questions about what permissions might be required to include such plans in listings. In
Angel Reese—the former LSU basketball superstar who now plays for the Chicago Sky in the WNBA—made headlines recently when she filed an application to register MEBOUNDS as a trademark for clothing and related items (Serial No. 99,234,613). “Mebounds” was a phrase used by some of Ms. Reese’s critics, referring to rebounds Ms. Reese grabs after
A day after announcing that “fair use” would not shield AI training models against potential copyright infringement, President Donald Trump fired Shira Perlmutter, Register of Copyrights, and her superior, Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden. These layoffs may shape the future of copyright law in the age of AI.
Legal and Constitutional Concerns
Perlmutter’s dismissal on May
Keen sports observers sometimes use trademark applications to try to identify the names and locations of potential expansion teams that may be coming to sports leagues. Recent trademark applications by the WNBA and National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) highlight just how complicated expansion team-related applications can be, however.
Let’s start with the WNBA. Earlier this year, the WNBA filed applications to register CHARLOTTE STING (Serial Nos. 99,027,594 and 99,027,574); CLEVELAND ROCKERS (Serial No. 99,027,630); DETROIT SHOCK (Serial No. 99,024,363); HOUSTON COMETS (Serial No. 99,027,505); and MIAMI SOL (Serial Nos. 99,027,625 and 99,027,613). Notably, these are all names of teams that were previously WNBA franchises, but went defunct in the 2000s. When the teams folded, the WNBA’s trademark registrations relating to those teams were canceled or abandoned. Although the WNBA could potentially be seeking new registrations only for the purpose of protecting “throwback” or “retro” merchandise, press reports indicate that some or all of these cities have submitted bids to the WNBA for a new expansion franchise.
There is a complicating wrinkle for the WNBA, however. An independent basketball league, the Women’s Basketball League, has announced plans to launch a six-league team in 2025, including teams called the Cleveland Rockers and the Detroit Shock. The Women’s Basketball League filed an application for CLEVELAND ROCKERS (Serial No. 98,201,494) in 2023, and filed applications for DETROIT SHOCK (Serial Nos. 98,096,968 and 98,593,400) in 2023 and 2024. The USPTO granted the 2023 DETROIT SHOCK application, so the mark was registered as of February 4, 2025. It remains to be seen how these dueling marks will impact the WNBA’s trademark applications or its possible expansion strategy.Continue Reading Reading the Tea Leaves: How Trademark Applications Show WNBA and NWSL Expansion Plans and Complications
Originally posted on Seyfarth’s The Blunt Truth blog.
I don’t wanna grow up, I’m a TOYS R US kid. So, many of us grew up with this commercial jingle and it along with the brand brings back positive memories of celebrating birthdays and holidays. But what happens when a company operating in a not so kid-friendly field starts using a trademark similar to that of the TOYS R US mark?
In a case that blends nostalgia with modern controversy, Tru Kids Inc., the owner of the TOYS R US mark, filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut against a vape and cannabis retailer operating under the name VAPE R US. The complaint alleges trademark infringement, dilution, false designation of origin, and unfair competition under both federal and state law. Tru Kids Inc. v. Vape R Us, Inc. et al, 3:25-cv-00781-VAB (D.Conn.).
At the heart of the dispute is the retailer’s use of branding that closely mirrors the iconic TOYS R US trademark and others associated with the brand. According to the complaint, the vape shop’s signage features multicolored bubble letters, a reversed “R” with a star, and even a depiction of Geoffrey the Giraffe. The long-standing mascot of the toy brand appears with a not so familiar “toy”—a vaping device.Continue Reading I Don’t Wanna Grow Up, I’m a What Kind of Kid? Toys R Us Takes on Vape R Us in Trademark Battle
On May 9, 2025, I sat in a crowded football stadium for the sold-out second night of the Grand National Tour concert featuring Kendrick Lamar and SZA (the stage name of Solána Rowe). As I listened to those iconic artists perform their hit song “luther,” my mind turned, as it often does, to trademarks. I
A long time ago in a galaxy not so far away, voice acting was the exclusive domain of talented humans. But today, in the age of generative AI, even the iconic voice of a legendary villain can be conjured without a single vocal cord, raising major legal questions about name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights
We are proud to announce that nine Seyfarth lawyers have been recognized as 2025 World Intellectual Property Review (WIPR) Leaders, an honor that celebrates the “very best of the global IP legal profession.” Each honoree was selected for their proven track record, strong peer endorsements, and outstanding contributions to the intellectual property field.
The following
Beginning May 13, 2025, the window between paying the issue fee and your patent officially issuing will become much shorter.
Until now, after paying the issue fee, applicants typically had a comfortable three weeks (sometimes longer) to file a continuation or divisional application. It was not an enormous amount of time, but it was usually
On Thursday, April 24, Seyfarth IP associate and International Trademark Association (INTA) Digital Event Committee member, JC Zwisler, will be a featured panelist in the International Trademark Association (INTA)’s virtual program: “INTA FOMO – How to Get to, and Make the Most of, The Annual Meeting”
Hosted by INTA’s Digital Events Committee, this practical and