The Latest from Michelson IP
Taylor Swift Trademarks: A Peek into the World of ‘Trademarked by Tay-Tay’
Original photo: George Walker IV (Associated Press) Contributing Editor: Rachelle Mulumba, The Michelson Institute for Intellectual Property Music star Taylor Swift has had quite a year. Fans flocked to her Eras tour, traveling far and wide to share friendship...
Monthly News Roundup – September 2023
Need some good reading material? Here's a quick recap of the top IP news stories and hot topics in IP we loved diving into the past month! "Research into vaccines, crop seeds and other innovations for low- or middle-income nations could be rewarded by offering longer...
Will AI Take Over Music? Implications on Copyright in the Music Industry
Contributing Editor: Rachelle Mulumba, The Michelson Institute for Intellectual Property AI Generated Music: Creative Genius or Legal Minefield? With the latest advancements in generative AI models, we are witnessing the birth of music pieces generated without...
Monthly News Roundup – August 2023
Need some good reading material? Here's a quick recap of the top IP news stories and hot topics in IP we loved diving into the past month! "USPTO believes adding advanced AI technologies “offers unique opportunities to leapfrog forward to further enhance patent search...
Biometrics as Intellectual Property in an AI-Driven World
By: The Michelson Institute for Intellectual Property Executive Editor: Nathan Mutter, Holland & Hart LLP, IPO Education Foundation The convergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and biometrics is reshaping our world. While these technologies open new...
Fair Use For Trademarks
Due to numerous lawsuits, particularly in the music industry, it is well known there is a “fair use” doctrine for copyrighted works. But did you know there are also scenarios which allow for the fair use of trademarks? First, what is a trademark? The United States...
How the UNCF Unite Conference Inspired the Michelson IP Team
By Chinwe Ohanele
The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) Unite was an incredible conference running from July 17 through July 20 in Atlanta Georgia that brought together educators from over 47 historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and over 1000 attendees dedicated to the success of Black students. The Michelson Institute for Intellectual Property (Michelson IP) was honored to both sponsor the conference and facilitate “Democratizing IP Education.” The panel was in partnership with Dr. Muhsinah Morris of Morehouse College, Professor Tuneen Chisohlm of Howard University School of Law and Kene Turner of the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship.
What If We Didn’t Have Intellectual Property Laws?
A Day without IP Laws? We asked ChatGPT to help us out with this question and here's what they came up with: If the United States didn't have intellectual property laws, it would have significant implications on various aspects of society, innovation, and the economy....
Taco Tuesday Trademark Battle Ends But Larger Cultural IP Questions Remain
By Rachelle Mulumba It seems the fight to “free” the Taco Tuesday trademark has officially come to an end with Taco John’s, the fast food chain and original rights holders, vowing to abandon the mark last week. This comes following a coordinated marketing campaign...
Monthly News Roundup – July 2023
Need some good reading material? Here's a quick recap of the top IP news stories and hot topics in IP we loved diving into the past month! "The ruling comes after Touchstream filed a complaint in June 2021 claiming that it met with Google in December 2011 and was told...
Monthly News Roundup – June 2023
Need some good reading material? Here's a quick recap of the top IP news stories and hot topics in IP we loved diving into the past month! "Overstock.com Buys Bed Bath & Beyond Intellectual Property for $21.5 Million." - Overstock.com Buys Bed Bath & Beyond...
Community College Educator Boasts Student Successes Thanks to Michelson IP
By Rachelle Mulumba Quotes in the article have been lightly edited and paraphrased for clarity. “I remember during my first semester teaching, a student came up to me and he had designed this beautiful logo. He asked me, ‘Can you show me the ropes? How do I protect...
How To Copyright Artwork For Free
While official copyright registration typically involves fees, there are preliminary steps you can take to protect your artwork without incurring substantial costs. Here are a few suggestions on how to copyright artwork for free: Recognize automatic copyright Be aware...
Famous Trade Secrets: Top Ways to Protect your IP
Famous trade secrets are a hallmark of intellectual property law being put into practice. Think: Coca-Cola and WD-40. What do these well-known products have in common? They use trade secrets as a means of protecting their intellectual property. Coca-Cola protects...
Monthly News Roundup – May 2023
Need some good reading material? Here's a quick recap of the top IP news stories and hot topics in IP we loved diving into the past month! "LeBron James loves Taco Tuesday®. But he’s not a fan of that tiny, encircled “R” symbolizing the slogan’s registered trademark....
What is a plant patent?
Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Day was this Sunday, May 21. But what is the IP behind the seeds and plants of our produce? In this article, we are asked to take a look at: what is a plant patent? What is a plant patent? Marilyn Monroe was an icon of the silver...
What is the purpose of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)?
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a United States copyright law enacted in 1998 to address the challenges and complexities brought about by the digital age. The primary purpose of the DMCA is to update and adapt copyright law to the digital environment,...
California Intellectual Property Alliance Launch & World IP Day
By The Founding Board Members of the California Intellectual Property Alliance World IP Day World Intellectual Property Day is observed annually on April 26th, commemorating the date that the Convention establishing the World Intellectual Property...
Monthly News Roundup – April 2023
Need some good reading material? Here's a quick recap of the top IP news stories and hot topics in IP we loved diving into the past month! "...open questions around AI-driven innovation have grown bigger than Thaler. And if the U.S. inventorship rules are going to...
Women & Diverse Thought Leadership in IP: Introducing Michelson IP Sr. PM Chinwe Ohanele
After celebrating WIPO Day 2023 and its Women & IP: Accelerating innovation and creativity, we reflect on the importance of leveraging diverse perspectives from underrepresented communities to build a better, more inclusive IP system. We believe this starts with...
Breaking Barriers: How Women are Redefining the Intellectual Property Landscape
Over the past several decades, women have been making waves in the IP field, often in areas traditionally dominated by men. Their groundbreaking contributions as attorneys, judges, policy-makers, inventors, entrepreneurs, and educators are reshaping the IP landscape...
Celebrating “Women & IP” World IP Day featuring Gitanjali Rao in April 2023 Inventors Digest
In honor of this year's World IP Day and its 2023 "Women & IP" theme--with global celebrations taking place on April 26th--Michelson IP presents this extraordinary piece on young woman inventor Gitanjali Rao for Inventors Digest. Battling Bias —KINDLY:...
What Every Student Should Know About Their University IP Policy
Colleges and universities can be creative environments in which ideas, concepts and innovation come to life. However, what happens when parties want to protect their intellectual property? Who owns the work, and who shares in any generated profits? There are a...
Inventor Fails to Patent BIPOC Emojis: What Happened? An IP Expert Explains
Increasing gender and ethnic representation among inventors in America’s IP System has long been a goal for the USPTO along with other organizations in the intellectual property space–and not just for altruistic reasons either. According to research, innovation in the...
Monthly News Roundup – March 2023
Need some good reading material? Here's a quick recap of the top IP news stories and hot topics in IP we loved diving into the past month! "Now, more than 30 years after Fish Market was released, Steely & Clevie Productions is suing three of reggaeton’s most...