On May 20, 2021, the TTAB issued a lengthy and comprehensive precedential opinion canceling Proof Research, Inc.’s registration for the trade dress of a gun barrel (as shown below) on
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trademark registration
The Trademark Modernization Act of 2020 is Enacted
On December 27, 2020, Congress signed the Trademark Modernization Act of 2020 (the “Act”), which had rare bipartisan support, into law.
The Act makes substantive changes to the…
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The TTAB Continues Its Recent Trend of Failure-to-Function Refusals
On December 1, 2020, the TTAB continued its recent trend of decisions refusing to register marks on the ground of failure-to-function. In another precedential decision, the TTAB refused Applicant Lee…
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USPTO Trademark Trends
Today I attended the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) virtual webinar on trademark trends and current developments in the United States and in Israel. Among the speakers were…
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PTO Offers Guidance Following the Decision in USPTO v. Booking.com
Last month, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) issued a guidance document describing how they plan on following the Supreme Court’s recent decision in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office …
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TM Registration Specimens

To apply for a federally-registered trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), an applicant is required under 15 U.S.C. § 1051 to, among other things, submit specimens…
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Want to Save Money? Address Your Trademark Issues Now.

For the first time in nearly three years, the USPTO will be adjusting its fees for Trademark Registrations and for filing fees related to proceedings involving the Trademark Trial and…
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The TTAB Rejects Equal Protection Argument in Favor of Failure-to-Function Refusal
In a recent precedential decision, the United States Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“TTAB”) affirmed an examining attorney’s failure-to-function refusal as respecting the standard character mark TEXAS LOVE,…
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The TTAB Affirms Refusal of Another CBD Mark on “Lawful Use” Grounds
On September 25, 2020, the TTAB issued a non-precedential decision summarily rejecting an applicant’s attack against an examining attorney’s refusal to register the mark NATURAL LEAF CBD LIVE BETTER NATURALLY…
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Trademark Owners Are Targets In Email Scams Mimicking USPTO
For years, scam artists have targeted trademark owners with communications that mimic notices from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) or other governmental entities.
Unfortunately, there is no…
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