I studied music at Kent State University, theology at Dallas Theological Seminary and the University of South Africa, and law at Capital University Law School. I am an attorney with the law firm of RichardsonClement PC in Birmingham, Alabama, and have been working in the area of intellectual property for more than 20 years.
The word “distinctive” has special meaning in the world of trademarks. A brand must be “distinctive” to perform as a trademark before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”).…Continue readingWhen Is a Trademark Distinctive?
The owner of a copyright has a bundle of exclusive rights in the copyrighted work including the right to: This bundle of rights belongs to the owner of a copyrighted…Continue reading<strong>A Bundle of Rights</strong>
Broadly speaking, a copyright is a kind of intellectual property designed to protect an “author’s” original work fixed in any tangible medium of expression. The author might be the creator…Continue reading<strong>What is a Copyright?</strong>
You may file an application for a trademark registration with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) if you are not a lawyer. However, the process may be a…Continue readingFILING A TRADEMARK APPLICATION
If trademark rights in the United States of America (“USA”) are based on your use of a trademark rather than your registration of a trademark (see “Use It or Lose It”),…Continue readingTen Reasons to Register a Trademark
In most countries, and especially in the United States of America, it is not the registration of a trademark that gives you legal rights but the use of a trademark…Continue readingUse It or Lose It
