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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U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO)
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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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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The TTAB: Rule 56(d) Protects Non-Movants from Being “Railroaded” by Premature Summary Judgment Motions
On July 28, 2020, the TTAB issued a precedential decision regarding an underutilized method for responding to summary judgment motions filed before the non-moving party has had a reasonable opportunity…
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The TTAB Finds the Mark GUARANTEED RATE Too Descriptive for Registration in the Absence of Survey Evidence
On July 30, 2020, the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) issued a precedential decision holding, in effect, that the mark GUARANTEED RATE is too common for…
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Expedited TM Review for Covid-19 Products/Services
Last month, the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) began an initiative to expedite the review of, and waive the fees related to, trademark applications for marks used to…
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Cancellations at USPTO, PTAB, TTAB, etc.
On Friday, the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) announced that it was cancelling all in-person meetings — including all examiner interviews, all meetings between examiners and applicants, and…
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