If someone mentions the term ‘Dunder Mifflin,’ the people they’re talking to will understand the reference 9 out of 10 times. The name belongs to a fictional paper company in the insanely popular show The Office. It’s easily one of NBCUniversal’s most successful series in history. However, you may be surprised to learn that NBC doesn’t own the Dunder Mifflin trademark. Even crazier, an unrelated company does own that trademark. A battle has been raging over the intellectual property since last year, and even after a rejected application, NBCUniversal has filed more trademark applications with ..read more

Since hitting the scene back in the late ‘90s, the rapper Eminem (i.e. Slim Shady) has consistently found his way into the news. In many instances, this has been related to beefs and newly released diss tracks. It seems the rapper has a new beef, though, and it comes in the form of two Real Housewives stars and whether their Reasonably Shady podcast is infringing on the Slim Shady trademark. Are the Housewives Infringing on the Slim Shady Trademark? In February 2022, Robyn Dixon and Gizelle Bryant filed a trademark application for the term “Reasonably Shady.” While the application sought fede ..read more

Since hitting the scene back in the late ‘90s, the rapper Eminem (i.e. Slim Shady) has consistently found his way into the news. In many instances, this has been related to “beefs” and newly released “diss tracks.” It seems the rapper has a new beef, though, and it comes in the form of two Real Housewives stars and whether their Relatively Shady podcast is infringing on the Slim Shady trademark. Are the Housewives Infringing on the Slim Shady Trademark? In February 2022, Robyn Dixon and Gizelle Bryant sought a trademark registration for the term “Relatively Shady.” While the application sough ..read more

The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has long made a habit of rejecting applications seeking to federally register curse words. However, a Supreme Court decision along with the musician Lizzo’s registration of “100% That Bitch” seems to have fully bucked this precedent. While the singer faced several hurdles, her victory begins a new chapter for intellectual property owners. Lizzo Trademarks “100% That Bitch” — With Some Pushback Just a few short years ago, there would’ve been no major surprises if the USPTO denied an application featuring the word “bitch.” The Lanham Act — America’s pr ..read more

Whiskey maker Jack Daniels is in a trademark fight that’s been going on for nearly a decade. VIP Products LLC manufactures a popular dog toy — known as “Bad Spaniels” — that looks almost identical to the iconic Jack Daniels rectangular bottle. While this may seem like a clear violation of trade dress, judicial disagreements have landed the case before the Supreme Court. And now, the Biden administration has weighed in. Jack Daniels VS Dog Toys It only takes one look at the Bad Spaniels dog toy to see exactly where the idea for the product came from. It has an identical shape to the whiskey bo ..read more

In the final days of their work, the House select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol released a trove of documents. Among them were records showing that Donald Trump sought to have the term “Rigged Election!” trademarked after his loss to Joe Biden. With the leader of the Free World spearheading the endeavor, why exactly is rigged election not the property of the former president? January 6 Committee and Trademark Interest In an email sent to Jared Kushner just days after Joe Biden was declared the winner of the presidential election, former Trump aide Dan Scavino tol ..read more

Something we don’t typically think of during the holidays is intellectual property infringement. However, Christmastime isn’t a time of giving when it comes to trademark law. For instance, there’s currently a battle brewing between the owner of the Black Santa trademark and an applicant seeking to register “My Santa Is Black.” The Grinch will no doubt enjoy the mayhem. Black Santa Claus Is in the Middle of a Trademark Fight Representations of Santa as a black magical being date back to at least the late 1800s in America. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean he belongs to the public. This is ..read more

Members of the rock band Guns N’ Roses have been open about their aversion to perceived lax gun laws in the past. This makes the band’s trademark infringement lawsuit all the more interesting. The music group claims that the Guns N’ Roses trademark is being misused by an online firearms store that calls itself “Texas Guns and Roses.” The legal dispute will no doubt shine a light on one of the most outlandish “one-stop shops” in history. Guns N’ Roses Trademark Case Filed in Court In a lawsuit filed in federal court, Guns N’ Roses accused Texas Guns and Roses of the “wholesale appropriation” o ..read more

On October 21, 2022, a federal jury in Southern California decided that Cardi B’s use of a tattoo on her album cover did not constitute copyright infringement. This decision was made even though the plaintiff’s tattoo was indisputably used to create the album artwork. While this may appear like just another day in court, the case seemingly flies in the face of a recent tattoo copyright case involving wrestler Randy Orton’s “ink.” This raises the question of when tattoo designs have intellectual property protections. Strangely enough, it’s starting to look like juries can’t make up their minds ..read more

For five seasons, the show Breaking Bad brought drug kingpin Walter White into homes across the globe. The chemist teacher who became a meth cook was at the forefront of one of television’s most critically acclaimed programs. That popularity continues today, and that’s one of the many reasons producers of the series filed a trademark opposition against a trademark application for Baking Bad. Breaking Bad Trademark Dispute On January 31, 2022, Sony Pictures Television filed a trademark opposition against Thomas Mihill. That name may not stand out to most people, but the term Baking Bad may rin ..read more