By Kallee M. Hooley University of Iowa College of Iowa Juris Doctor Candidate, 2024 As of 2021, there were 9,118 craft breweries located throughout the country — a number that has nearly doubled since 2015. With this rapid growth, it has become increasingly difficult for breweries to create unique names for their brands. Brewers must tread carefully to not infringe…
By Monica Thompson Saint Louis University School of Law Juris Doctorate Candidate, 2024 The Ehud Yonay family is suing Paramount Pictures in California federal court for copyright infringement by the creation of Top Gun: Maverick. This sequel to the 1986 smash movie hit Top Gun has been breaking box office records but may end up owing big money to the…
By Sarah Horstmanshof Saint Louis University School of Law Juris Doctor Candidate, 2023 After a three-year battle with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), The Ohio State University has officially succeeded in securing a trademark registration for the word “THE”. The trademark registration itself protects specifically Ohio State’s athletic wear, such as t-shirts, baseball caps and other items…
By Jackson R. Hughes Saint Louis University School of Law Juris Doctor Candidate, 2024 Going once, going twice, gone. The gavel banged as a European art collector won the bid for Banksy’s “Girl With a Red Balloon.” With everyone’s attention on the auctioneer it took a moment for the commotion in the gallery to be understood. The print began to…
By Katherine Smothers Saint Louis University School of Law Juris Doctorate Candidate, 2024 When offering services to a potential client, whether it be for photography, music, or other projects, it is important to discuss what the client is looking for and what you can offer. Arguably it is most important to then take these agreed-upon terms and solidify them into…
By Kennedi Harmon Texas Southern University School of Law Juris Doctorate Candidate, 2024 Copyright is one of the most familiar types of intellectual property. Copyright holders have the exclusive right to use or allow others to use their works on agreed-upon terms. Copyright rights apply to music, writings, motion pictures, architectural designs and other creative works. Notice these are all…
By Katherine Smothers Saint Louis University School of Law Juris Doctorate Candidate, 2024 Many people when they hear the term “NFT'' think of different types of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin but that is not what an NFT is. An NFT is a nonfungible token, unlike cryptocurrencies, which are fungible tokens or currency like money that are exchangeable. NFTs are simply…
By Jonnae Miller Southern University Law Center Juris Doctor, 2021 Among many things, New Year’s celebrations symbolize taking inspiration from our past mistakes and accomplishments to enhance our future selves. Around the globe, individuals celebrate the coming of New Year’s Day as the clock strikes midnight with a countdown, fireworks, and oftentimes a short-lived New Year’s resolution. Similarly, many authors…
By Sarah Horstmanshof Saint Louis University School of Law Juris Doctor Candidate, 2023 "Above all, video games are meant to just be one thing: Fun for everyone." — Satoru Iwata, late CEO of Nintendo It has often been said that imitation is the highest form of flattery, but in the gaming legal arena, the lines between harmless emulation and shameless…
By Monica Thompson Saint Louis University School of Law Juris Doctorate Candidate, 2024 The Smithsonian Institution has adopted a new ethical returns policy in order to adapt to the changing morals, ethics, and legal practices surrounding cultural heritage. In the past, museums have fought to keep artifacts, artworks, and cultural objects in order to educate the public, protect acquisitions, and…