When I worked as senior counsel with the IRS Chief Counsel’s office based in San Francisco, I received a call from a revenue agent asking for my help. In a few weeks, the agent would be meeting with the taxpayer’s three attorneys in San Jose, a city about 30 miles south of my office location,
On January 25, 2023, Nike Inc. sued Japanese fashion brand, A Bathing Ape (also known as BAPE), in New York federal court for allegedly copying some of its most famous shoes. In asserting trademark infringement and dilution claims, Nike alleges that BAPE’s current footwear business “revolves around copying Nike’s iconic designs,” and that some of
The Recent Changes to Minimum Wage Laws in New York As of December 31, 2022, The New York Minimum Wage Act (the “Act”) requires that all employees working in the state receive at least $14.20 an hour or $15.00 an hour if they are in New York City, Long Island and Westchester. Under the Act,
Whether you’re interested in protecting a well-established brand or you’re starting a new business, filing a trademark application can be a very exciting and positive step toward protecting your intellectual property. While trademark protection is an appealing prospect, the application process can be tricky. There is often the risk that the United States Patent and
Whether you are an employer or an employee, it is important to know the employment laws that may affect you or your company. One aspect of employment law important to both employees and employers is the time limit requirements on claims arising from an employer’s violation of labor and employment laws. These time limits are
A new rule proposed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) would ban employers in the United States from forcing non-competes on their employees or independent contractors. If the rule is implemented by the FTC, then non-competes would be illegal at the federal level and would affect employers and their workers across the country. What is
According to the well-known saying, every story has already been told. This is especially the case in historical dramas, which are retellings of true events that add fictionalized elements for dramatic effect. In other words, historical dramas are a hybrid of fact and fiction. Recently, a wave of historical dramas garnered awards nominations, including “The
Starting or growing your own company can be exciting, but it’s critical to have certain agreements in place to protect yourself and your business. When welcoming new staff on board, whether it’s the first person you’re hiring or if you’re bringing them onto an already established team, it’s important to have specific documents prepared. Here’s how
Trademarks, and the rights of trademark holders, are commonly misunderstood. Many business owners want to know the advantages of federally registering a mark. What Is a Trademark? A trademark is a word, phrase, symbol or design (or a combination of those things) that identifies and distinguishes the source of certain goods or services. Essentially, a trademark is used to
It’s been widely reported recently that Justin Bieber, at the ripe old age of 28, has “sold his music catalog” for somewhere around $200 million to Hypgnosis Songs Capital. Usually, these megadeals are reserved for “legacy” artists and within the past few years it seems like every songwriter and recording artist old enough to collect
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