Intellectual Property Rights Archives - Page 9 of 13 - Customs & International Trade Law Firm

Top 11 Copyright Myths and Misconceptions

1.- What is copyrightable and what is not?

Copyright protection exists in original works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of expression, now known or later developed, from which they can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated, either directly or with the aid of a machine or device.

Works of authorship include the following categories:

literary works;
musical works, including any accompanying words;
dramatic works, including any accompanying music;
pantomimes and choreographic works;
pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works;
motion pictures and other audiovisual works;
sound recordings; and
architectural works.

Copyright does not protect facts, ideas, systems, or methods of operation, although it may protect the way these things are expressed. After all, copyright law doesn’t protect ideas, only the expression of the ideas.

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By Jennifer Diaz|2021-12-07T14:50:14-05:00April 24, 2019|Best Practices, Counterfeits, Intellectual Property Rights, International Business, International Law, IPR, Trademarks and Logos|0 Comments

TOP 10 MISTAKES MADE BY TRADEMARK OWNERS

In most jurisdictions, the majority of trademark filings are made by small businesses and entrepreneurs or solopreneurs. When starting a business, it is easy to get caught up on getting your business off the ground. Below outlines the TOP 10 mistakes trademark owners can make (and we will teach you how to avoid them and MUCH more in our seminar, ABC’s of Protecting Your Brand, on February 20, 2019).

Not Realizing That Protecting Trademarks Could Create Value for Your Business.

Most new businesses should analyze the value of their business from the start. While most businesses operate out of rented/leased space or straight out of the owner’s home and rely on loans to promote their services or financing for product inventory, businesses fall short in adding value to their own brand name. When it’s time to sell or liquidate businesses are left with little or no assets apart from their client lists and intellectual property, if any. Not investing in protecting their trademarks will diminish the value of their business in the future.

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By Jennifer Diaz|2022-07-12T15:04:57-04:00January 31, 2019|Events, Expert, Import, Intellectual Property Rights, International Business, International Law, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)|0 Comments

CATCH UP ON DTL’S TOP BLOGS FROM 2018!

We want to make sure you stay up to date with the hottest trade topics from 2018. below is a summary of what you missed by category. Enjoy!

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The UGG Boots Story: How Recording Your Registered Trademark Can Lead to a Jail Sentence

At the end of September 2017, Shi Wei Zheng, 42, plead guilty to one count of trafficking in counterfeit goods. During a five-month period, Zheng trafficked over 15,000 pairs of counterfeit UGG boots, with a total estimated retail value of over $2.5 million.

Zheng created an elaborate scheme in order to receive and sell counterfeit UGG boots. From September 2016 through February 2017, Zheng received several shipping containers from an individual overseas, of which at least three containers were filled with counterfeit UGG boots. After the containers reached the Port of Entry, in this instance, Port of Newark, Zheng had individuals working at the port, remove the containers from the port before U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) could examine them. Once removed, the containers were delivered to other individuals, paid by Zheng to distribute the counterfeit boots in New Jersey and other places.

Lucky for the owners of the UGG brand, Deckers Outdoor Corporation (Deckers), CBP halted Zheng’s operation, in part as a result of Decker recording its registered trademark with CBP on June 7, 2016. After the recordation was processed, CBP began a more intense “guard dog watch” of the UGG brand merchandise at all Ports of Entry throughout the U.S. This meant that Deckers exercised its right to protect its word mark “UGG” at all U.S. borders. The recordation of the protected mark ultimately lead CBP to identifying counterfeit UGG merchandise and holding the culprit, Zheng, accountable for violating 18 U.S.C. § 2320, trafficking in counterfeit goods, […]

By Jennifer Diaz|2021-12-07T14:52:03-05:00October 19, 2017|Best Practices, Counterfeits, Intellectual Property Rights, IPR, Trademarks and Logos, Pre-compliance, Seizure, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)|0 Comments

31,560 Shipments Were Seized by CBP in 2016 for ONE Reason

Last year, on a typical day the U.S. Customs and Border Protections (CBP) seized about $3.8 million worth of products because of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Violations. CBP reported that the total number of IPR seizures has increased nine (9) percent since last year, from 28,865 in 2015 to 31,560 in 2016. With the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) exceeding $1.3 trillion.

What is Causing the Increase in Seizures?

Recordation of Trademark And Copyright With The CBP

In addition to registration of IPR with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO for trademarks), or the U.S. Copyright Office (for copyrights), owners can record said trademark or copyright with CBP. This additional step grants CBP additional enforcement power in both seizing counterfeit and piratical goods as well as thereafter issuing penalties for the MSRP value of the goods. In previous blog posts, we explained benefits of taking the extra step of recording your registered trademark or copyright with CBP, and CBP’s additional enforcement powers as a result of the recordations. […]

By Jennifer Diaz|2022-07-07T12:05:23-04:00March 24, 2017|Counterfeits, Import, Intellectual Property Rights, IPR, Trademarks and Logos, U.S Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)|4 Comments

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