Lewis Roca Blog

Neil Young recently filed a copyright infringement suit against Donald Trump’s re-election campaign. Young alleges that the use of his songs Rockin’ in the Free World and Devil’s Sidewalk at Trump campaign rallies and political events including Trump’s recent rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma on June 20, 2020 were done without permission and constitute copyright infringement.

For those unfamiliar, Grumpy Cat is a “viral meme” of a “stern-looking house cat named Tardar Sauce.”1 A former Time Warner cable technician first posted the photo of his sister’s “Grumpy Cat” on Reddit in September 2012.

Intellectual property partner, Warren Bleeker, was recently quoted in the San Fernando Valley Business Journal on the valuation associated in a copyright case involving the violation of Microsoft Corp.’s intellectual property rights.

Twitter has been referred to as “the Wild West of the internet—a lawless, godless place designed for sinners and sure to corrupt the pure of heart.”1 While Twitter may not corrupt everyone, it does open new avenues to commit trademark infringement. What Are Hashtags and Hashflags?

“There is no blue without yellow and without orange.” — Vincent Van Gogh (June 1888). It is extremely difficult to secure trademark rights to a single color. Success stories are few and far between. Recently, General Mills, maker of Cheerios, sought trademark protection for the color yellow “as the predominant uniform background color on product …

On March 22, 2017, the United States Supreme Court issued a much-anticipated opinion in Star Athletica, LLC v. Varsity Brands, Inc.  At issue was whether the surface decorations on cheerleading uniforms are copyright eligible, even though the shape of the uniforms are useful articles, and not copyright eligible.

Fashion designers could be left defenseless against copycats if the US Supreme Court rules that certain features are not protected under the Copyright Act.  The Supreme Court will soon hear oral argument in Varsity Brands, Inc. v. Star Athletica, LLC.