When, and whether, the sequel to The Catcher in the Rye ever hits the U.S. is a question rife with speculation after the 2nd Circuit’s recent ruling in Salinger v. Colting. For an interesting peek at what’s percolating in the law of sequels, and a link to the decision (and others of note), see the recent [...]
Entries from June 17th, 2010
Twilight Sues Over Stolen Clothing
June 16th, 2010 · Comments Off · Popular, Trademark
Apparently Summit, the studio behind the Twilight movies, is mortally offended that BB Dakota is seeking to sell a copy of the hoodie worn by Bella in one of the teen-vampire romances, and has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit to enjoin the sale of the garment marketed — as one might expect from cheesy marketeers lacking [...]
China Hits Cafes With Copyright Fee
June 16th, 2010 · Comments Off · Copyright, Internet, Popular
In an attempt to rebut allegations that it allows copyright thieves to roam unmonitored throughout Beijing and the great steppes, China has announced that it will impose a copyright fee on internet cafes which allow customers to download and watch movies while enjoying their lattes. How China intends to monitor internet usage at the 140,000 [...]
You Can’t Sing That on TV!
June 16th, 2010 · Comments Off · Copyright, Popular
We all unthinkingly listen to music when we turn on the television. Whether we watch MTV, are addicted to American Idol, sit through the opening soundtrack of any hit series, or just channel surf, we are inundated with lyrics and songs — so much so that we take the presence of music on TV for [...]
Is That A Trade Secret In My Muffin?
June 14th, 2010 · Comments Off · Popular, Trade Secret
Occasionally I find myself laughing with delight at the foibles of trade secret law, where quite often it is actually the case that a serious, dour, pale attorney stalks raging down the halls in Brooks Brothers’ finest screaming imprecations about someone who has had the gall — the actual gall! — to attempt to misappropriate [...]
Tags:duplicity·misappropriation·secret·secret agent·Trade Secret
Factoids About the Google Books Settlement
June 4th, 2010 · 1 Comment · Copyright, Internet, Popular
For those of you who are confused about what Google actually hopes to accomplish by digitizing more than 12 million books, and what the implications are for copyright holders, the Open Book Alliance has published a very interesting analysis of the proposed Google Books Settlement, which attempts to parse rhetoric from reality. The article can [...]
I am a commercial litigator and intellectual property lawyer in San Francisco. Although my practice encompasses a wide variety of business disputes, I have a particular fondness for, and am prone to wax philosophical on, the subjects of copyright and trademark infringement in music, literature, art, and film.
