Trademark

Dr. Dariush Adli Discusses the Recent “Kimono” Trademark Controversy and Legal Remedies for Affected Groups

In an article for IP Watchdog, Dr. Dariush Adli discusses the recent controversy surrounding Kim Kardashian’s efforts to trademark the name “Kimono” for her new line of undergarment shapewear.  While not perfect, trademark laws do provide powerful tools for Affected Groups to combat and control cultural appropriators from using their cherished attributes.    To read…

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How Influencers Can Influence More Revenue and Stay Out of Trouble

Social media platforms such as YouTube and Instagram have become the go-to destination for video content consumption by teens and millennials. It far surpasses what they consume on television. These platforms (often referred to simply as “social”), collectively generate billions of views, and hundreds of millions of hours of watch time, every single day. Teens…

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Balenciaga vs Little Trees: When Anti-Fashion Leans Toward Anti-Legal, Daily Journal (November 6, 2018)

In an article for the Daily Journal, ADLI’s Olfa B’Chir discusses the appropriation of functional trademarks by high-end fashion brands attempting to compete with a movement in Fashion known as “AntiFashion”.  She explores the case example of Balenciaga appropriating the Little Tree design and their protected trademark to create a Balenciaga keychain that sells for approximatively…

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Your Trademark Can Become Useless If You Can’t Prove Use

A U.S. trademark registration must be maintained every five years, and renewed every ten, to keep it active and enforceable.  A component of this is the trademark owner filing an affidavit with the Trademark Office, stating the trademark owner is still using the mark in connection with the goods and services in the registration.  The…

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EP’s Louboutin Decision Opens the Door for U.S. Businesses to Protect Their Color/Shape Brands in Europe, IP Watchdog (September 4, 2018)

In an article for IP Watchdog, Dr. Dariush Adli examines the relevance and significance of European high court’s decision to recognize color a protectable form of trademark and offers practical advice to businesses who own color trademarks to take advantage of the ruling by obtaining exclusivity for their products in the EP market. To read…

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Trade Secrets: The Growing Battlefront

Earlier this year, the most publicized trade secret case of our lifetimes played out in court between two giants, Waymo LLC (actually a subsidiary of Google’s parent company, Alphabet Inc.) and Uber Technologies, Inc. Both companies were developing self-driving car technology, a game-changer in transportation that may forever transform how we get from one place…

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What’s in A Name? Everything If Your Name Is Kylie Jenner

We’re saturated with Kylie Jenner.  She has a celebrity.  She’s all over reality TV as a Kardashian adjunct.  She regularly graces the covers of tabloids.  She has tens of millions of followers as a social media icon.  She has a burgeoning career as a fashionista, either selling or planning to sell clothing, cosmetics and accessories….

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