2011 July

Woodard, Emhardt associate Bill McKenna was a featured speaker in a Professional Development Seminar sponsored by Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.  The seminar was held at the Eli Lilly Manufacturing and Quality Learning Center.  The curriculum was designed to provide licensed engineers with the continuing education required by a new Indiana statute.   Mr. McKenna’s portion of the presentation focused on the requirements and nuances of the new statute, tips for compliance, as well as other statutory and intellectual property issues facing engineers.

Topics covered in this month’s Trademark Group presentation include:

- US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is now emailing acceptance of 8 & 15 declarations,

- a proposed rule to permit the USPTO to require more than one specimen for declarations of use,

- .XXX domain names,

- a review of the case concerning John Dillinger’s right of publicity,

- a case concerning the MUSCLE MAIZE trademark is descriptive, and

- a case concerning word reversal in trademarks. 

Click here to download a copy of the presentation.

ICANN’s Board of Directors has approved a plan to allow an increase in the number of internet address endings, otherwise known as generic top-level domain names (gTLDs), from the current 22.  Internet address names will be able to end with almost any word in any language, offering organizations around the world the opportunity to market their brand, products, community or cause in new and innovative ways.  Under the plan, new gTLD applications will be accepted starting on January 12, 2012.  To read the entire news release please click here.