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Trademark, Copyright, Advertising & the Law

Providing practical knowledge, interesting updates and insights for companies and legal practitioners to help navigate complex trademark, copyright, advertising and related legal issues

Trademark, Copyright, Advertising & the Law Blog
The Best of British Brands – An INTA 2026 London Walking Tour Through a U.S. Trademark Lens
Blog April 29, 2026
As we gear up for the INTA conference in London this year, it’s a perfect time to explore some of the UK’s most well-known brands and trademarks…
Sue-per Bowl Shuffle IV: The Year In NFL-Related Intellectual Property Litigation
Blog January 30, 2018
If you are a lawyer, there is a serious danger that someone at the Super Bowl party you attend is going to want to talk about an NFL-related legal issue. Did Cowboys owner Jerry Jones really have standing to challenge Commissioner Roger Goodell's salary package? What is the status of Colin Kaepernick's collusion lawsuit…
. . . And Your Name Is?  Court Orders Anonymous Parallel Importer To Reveal Itself In “Lever Rule” Trademark Challenge
Blog September 20, 2017
We recently hosted an event at the firm where we discussed legal issues concerning parallel imports in the transportation industry, so a recent decision by the U.S. Court of International Trade discussing “Lever Rule” protection caught my attention.  To those who do not traffic in the world of parallel imports, the Lever Rule is a tool available to trademark owners to limit unauthorized imports of gray market goods bearing the owner's mark…
LÉlixir De LAmour:  How A 19th Century French Widow Turned Her Trademark Champagne Into A Lifestyle Beverage
Blog February 13, 2017
Valentine's Day is upon us yet again. Chances are, you and your sweetheart will find yourselves together in a restaurant on February 14th. Roses may be gifted, chocolate confections may be consumed, and to drink why, champagne of course. Is any other spirituous potable more synonymous with love than a bit of bubbly?  The clinking of flutes or coupe glasses is an unmistakable counterpoint in the soundtrack of virtually every wedding and anniversary celebration…
Sue-per Bowl Shuffle III: The Year In NFL-Related Intellectual Property Litigation
Blog January 30, 2017
Two years ago, I started worrying about what would happen if someone at a Super Bowl party asked me to explain an NFL-related lawsuit, particularly one of those intellectual property lawsuits that sports fans assume IP lawyers know about. This anxiety led me to put together the Sue-per Bowl Shuffle I and Sue-per Bowl Shuffle II: guides to trademark, copyright, patent and other intellectual property disputes concerning the NFL during 2014 and 2015 respectively…
A Trademark Year In Wine And Beer 2016: Our Holiday Buyer's Guide To Disputed Beverages
Blog December 06, 2016
Just in time for the holiday season, we present our third annual Trademark Year in Wine and Beer, a wrap-up  of alcohol-related trademark and trademark-ish disputes dating back to December 2015, when we published our last edition. Our scope includes lawsuits brought in U.S. Courts, actions before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“TTAB”), arbitrations pursuant to the  Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (“UDRP”)…
Hot News, Shredded Wheat and Wool Underwear: Brandeis On Copyright And Trademark
Blog October 05, 2016
October 9 marks the 100th anniversary of Louis Brandeis' first session as a justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (October 9, 1916 was the second Monday in October – in 1917, the Court began meeting on the first Monday).  This occasion is worthy of remembrance not only because of the historical importance of the man himself, but also because Brandeis was the first Jewish jurist (or non-Christian of any creed) to ascend to the high court…
Harry Potter And The Cursed Legal Update
Blog July 27, 2016
It has been about a year since we published Harry Potter Lawsuits and Where to Find Them, my attempt at a comprehensive review of Harry Potter-related litigation. Why update the article now? Two reasons. First: The long-awaited book version of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child hits the shelves on July 31, 2016…
The Pleads Of The Many: 50 Years of Star Trek Lawsuits
Blog July 18, 2016
This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the premiere of the original series of Star Trek, which first aired on NBC in September 1966. On July 22, this milestone will be marked in earnest when Paramount Pictures releases the new film, Star Trek Beyond (which sadly includes the final Chekovian performance by the recently-departed Anton Yelchin)…
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ABOUT

Foley Hoag’s Trademark, Copyright, Advertising & the Law blog aims to provide practical knowledge and insights for companies and legal practitioners to help them navigate complex trademark, copyright, and advertising law legal issues. 

Our authors, comprised of attorneys from the firm’s Trademark, Copyright & Unfair Competition and Advertising & Marketing practices, have been active in trademark, copyright, and advertising space for decades. We advise our clients on the availability of marks and names, prepare and prosecute domestic and foreign applications for marks, and monitor and maintain thousands of registrations worldwide. We help clients exploit their brands through trademark licensing and provide clients with the legal and contractual protection they need to maximize the commercial potential of their brands without jeopardizing their rights. We have extensive experience in the policing, enforcement and defense of our clients’ trademark rights, representing our clients in civil litigation, administrative proceedings and arbitration in the U.S. and abroad. We also specialize in advising clients on trademark matters in connection with emerging media and the Internet, including domain name and Internet keyword disputes.

Our team also handles a variety of copyright matters. We offer advice regarding copyright registration and assist clients in policing and enforcing copyrights against infringers, including actions involving the Internet and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). We are counsel to some of the largest corporations in the U.S. in defending against claims of copyright infringement. We also focus on related complex unfair competition matters, as well as disputes involving trade secrets, false advertising, comparative advertising, defamation, and commercial disparagement. We work with clients to determine acceptable limits in client advertising and assist clients in evaluating advertising and related statements by competitors that cross the line into deception, disparagement, and defamation. We also help clients evaluate and address the theft of trade secrets, including by ex-employees, data thieves, and hackers.

Foley Hoag lawyers are leaders in their field. In addition to being well known in the business community and the courts, they are active members and leaders of the International Trademark Association, the Food and Drug Law Institute, the National Advertising Division of the Better Business Bureau, and other professional organizations. They frequently lecture, teach, and publish in the fields of trademark and unfair competition. As members of these organizations, they participate actively in shaping law and policy.

Webinar Series

Foley Hoag’s Trademark, Copyright & Unfair Competition practice group presents a webinar series designed exclusively for in-house counsel and business executives that discusses timely legal issues impacting business decisions in the areas of trademark, trade dress, copyright, trade secret, Internet, domain name, false advertising, defamation, commercial disparagement and other unfair competition.

Click here to subscribe to our webinar series invitation list.