The New York State Bar Association’s Intellectual Property Law Section Annual Meeting will be held September 14-15, 2012 in New York City.
I will be speaking on a panel called “INITIATIVES TO ADDRESS TRADEMARK BULLYING”
The USPTO recently requested comments from companies and practitioners on ways to address problems (whether actual or perceived) with over-aggressive policing and enforcement of trademark rights. The comments did not result in any new regulations, but whether small trademark owners are being unfairly taken to task is a sensitive subject engendering much controversy. Are the large trademark owners playing fair in vigorously protecting their goodwill? Our panel of practitioners, including a former USPTO examiner, will share their views.
Moderator: Peter S. Sloane, Esq., Leason Ellis LLP, White Plains
Panelists:
Susan Upton Douglass, Esq., Fross Zelnick Lehrman & Zissu, PC, New York City
Erik M. Pelton, Esq., Erik M. Pelton & Associates, Arlington, VA
The “bullying” topic has not gone away following the USPTO’s report last year. If anything, media coverage of possible or purported bullying situations has increased in 2012.
For more details about the conference, which also features sessions on TLD’s, design patent litigation, and more, see the NYSBA website.
