Multimedia

Brinks is an accredited MCLE provider in Illinois and this program is worth 1.0 hour of general CLE credit. CLE credit in other states may be available on request.

Mary M. Squyres is chair of the International Trademark Practice Group. Her practice includes international trademark litigation, licensing and prosecution, including determination of international filing strategies, negotiating worldwide mutual co-existence agreements and effective enforcement strategies to defend marks and prevent infringements. Ms. Squyres’ recent publications include co-authorship of "Trademark Practice Throughout the World," a three-volume treatise and authorship of an article entitled, “The New gTLDs” for Intellectual Property Counselor, Thomson West, April 2011.

Tiffany W. Shimada focuses on trademark, copyright and patent litigation, as well as trademark and copyright prosecution. Her experience includes representing major U.S. companies and pro bono clients in the fields of entertainment, art, fashion, aviation and baked goods in trademark and copyright counseling matters. Ms. Shimada’s recent publications include an article entitled, "Fashion Design under the Innovative Design Protection and Piracy Prevention Act," for Intellectual Property Litigation, Spring 2011.

Brinks is an accredited MCLE provider in Illinois and this program is worth 1.0 hour of general CLE credit. CLE credit in other states may be available on request.

Companies invest significant resources to develop and promote their products and services through the use of brand names and other trademarks. As companies enter the global marketplace their brand and trademark portfolio becomes an increasingly valuable asset that requires sophisticated protection. This seminar will provide you with the latest information on the role of the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), U.S. Customs, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and U.S. courts in protecting and enforcing trademark rights.

Special guest speaker, Carl C. Charneski, former ITC Administrative Law Judge, was joined by his colleagues, Nicholas G. de la Torre, David S. Fleming and Laura Beth Miller for this seminar.

Brinks is an accredited MCLE provider in Illinois and this program is worth 1.0 hour of general CLE credit. CLE credit in other states may be available on request.

The false marking statute of the Patent Act (35 U.S.C. § 292) prohibits marking as “patented” any product that is not patented. Section 292 also gives individuals the right to bring a qui tam action and to collect statutory damages up to $500 for each falsely marked product. Although once rarely invoked, the qui tam provision is increasingly being used by plaintiffs against large manufacturers of patented and formerly patented products. The number of qui tam lawsuits has exploded in the past couple years, and there is now a debate raging among lawyers and commentators as to whether the qui tam provision still serves its original function of punishing firms who improperly seek to squelch both free trade and the public domain by false claiming a product or service as patented. Congress is considering various ways of amending or even eliminating the qui tam provision as part of the patent reform legislation that is currently being debated on the Hill. Complicating matters, in early March 2011, a federal district court in Ohio held that the qui tam provision is unconstitutional, violating the Take Care Clause in Article II, § 3. This panel discusses the current state of play and what changes, if any, should be made to the qui tam provision of the false marking statute.

Featuring:

Mr. Trevor K. Copeland, Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Mr. Arthur Gollwitzer, Floyd & Buss LLP
Prof. Elizabeth I. Winston, Columbus School of Law, The Catholic University of America
Moderator: Prof. Adam Mossoff, George Mason University School of Law
 

The FTC created the Green Guides to help advertisers understand how the FTC plans to apply Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts, to environmental claims made to promote goods and services. This virtual panel will address the differences between the old and new Green Guides, the process of amending the Green Guides, recent enforcement actions and the effects the proposed revisions might have on advertisers and consumers alike.

Brinks is an accredited MCLE provider in Illinois and this program is worth 1.0 hour of general CLE credit. CLE credit in other states may be available on request.

Topics to be addressed include:

• The infringement risks arising from social networking sites
• Exploring the regulation of social media marketing
• Discussing the proactive use of social media sites by businesses to increase brand awareness
• Providing best practices and other suggestions for trademark owners wishing to protect their brands across the social networking landscape

Brinks is an accredited MCLE provider in Illinois and this program is worth 1.0 hour of general CLE credit. CLE credit in other states may be available on request.

Firm Sponsors Innovation Competition at 2010 Midwest Clean Tech Conference

G. Peter Nichols appeared on Chicago Public Radio’s newsmagazine, Eight Forty-Eight on September 14 to discuss the Brinks Innovation Competition at the Midwest Clean Tech Conference 2010. The competition allows developers of new technologies to showcase their solutions to global challenges in the green technology sector. NextCAT, one of the innovation competition finalists, talked about its solution to decrease the costs of bio-diesel energy.

..will it have on existing patents, patents in litigation and future patent prosecution methods?

Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione attorneys Timothy Q. Delaney, Meredith Martin Addy, Charles M. McMahon and Marc V. Richards will review the decision and lead a lively discussion on the issues to consider as the result of the Supreme Court's decision.  Topics to be covered include:

• Viability of Business Method Patents
• Machine/Transformation Test
• Possible Alternative Tests
• Prosecution Strategies
• Litigation Strategies
• Limits on Patentable Subject Matter

Brinks is an accredited MCLE provider in Illinois and this program is worth 1.0 hour of general CLE.  CLEar Knowledge Now programs may offer participants the ability to earn CLE, on request, in states where post-event video programming is accepted.