Intellectual Property

Ninth Circuit Upholds An Alternative Standard For Accrual Of Copyright Infringement Claims

Section 507(b) of the U.S. Copyright Act provides that a copyright infringement claim isn’t timely filed unless it is commenced within three years after the claim accrued. In the recent decision Starz Entertainment LLC v. MGM Domestic Television Distribution LLC, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit addressed when a claim generally “accrues,” and defined an alternative “accrual”...Read More

In Trademark Dispute over Engagement Rings, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals asks the Southern District of New York to Reconsider (NY)

In Tiffany and Company v. Costco Wholesale Corporation, the United Second Circuit Court of Appeals found a triable issue of fact as to whether Costco’s otherwise unbranded engagement rings identified as “Tiffany” rings by signs placed  at the point-of-sale infringed upon Tiffany’s trademark.  As part of its lawsuit, Tiffany alleged, that these point-of-sale signs constituted trademark...Read More

A Lawsuit About (and Amounting to) Nothing (NY)

Can an idea about a show about nothing be subject to copyright protection?  In Charles v. Seinfeld, Plaintiff Charles, a long-time Seinfeld collaborator, alleged that the current Netflix series Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee had been his idea, but that when he asked for a “backend” deal on the show, the reception he got from Jerry was icier than a “hello, Neuman.”  Unfortunately for Charles,...Read More

WCM Philadelphia Associate Recognized by ABA’s Section of Science and Technology Law.

Philadelphia associate Sathima Jones was recently recognized by the ABA’s Section of Science and Technology Law, which included her 2015 article entitled Blurring the Lines Between Infringement and Inspiration in a CLE Presentation at the 2017 ABA Annual Meeting on August 10, 2017 in New York City. The CLE entitled Unblurring the Lines: Navigating the Complex Relationship between Technology,...Read More