On Saturday, June 13, 2009, at 12:01 AM EDT, Facebook (www.facebook.com), a US-based international social networking website, will update its policies to allow users to create usernames for themselves and establish personalized Facebook URLs incorporating these usernames (i.e. www.facebook.com/username). Once a user has created this username and established the personalized URL, there will be no way for the user to change or transfer it. This is an attempt by Facebook to prevent cyber squatting.
As part of its continuing efforts to protect the exclusivity of well-known marks, an Opinion on Certain Issues Concerning the Protection of Well-Known Marks in Civil Disputes in the PRC was passed by the Adjudication Committee of the Supreme People's Court of the PRC on 22 April 2009 and came into effect on 1 May 2009.
On 1 May 2009 Official fees for obtaining Community trade mark (CTM) registrations will be significantly reduced in the light of a substantial cash surplus built up by OHIM, (the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market, the not for profit organisation responsible for CTMs).
15 October 2008 - On October 13, 2008, the President signed into law Senate Bill 3325, known as the “Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property Act of 2008” (the “Bill”). The Bill provides for increased enforcement of intellectual property laws covering such violations as copyright infringement, trademark counterfeiting and the use of false marks on goods and services. Additionally, the Bill increases penalties for some of these violations.
20 August 2008 - On 1 September 2008, the Enforcement Act (“Act”) will enter into force in Germany. The most important innovations introduced by the Act are an extended right of information, a right to obtain disclosure of i.a. documents in the control of the alleged
infringer of an intellectual property right, a right to recall infringing products from the channels of commerce and aright to publication of judicial decisions.
There is no specific law on data protection for the private sector in Thailand at present. The data protection under the Official Information Act B.E. 2540 applies only to information or data in the possession of the government authorities.
Landrush period for ".Asia" domain names kicked off on 20 February 2008 and will end on 12 March 2008. During this period, eligible entities may apply to register any available ".Asia" domain names, and an auction will be held between applicants who applied for the same ".Asia" domain name during this period. After Landrush, ".Asia" domains will "Go Live" on 26 March 2008, and at that time, domain name applications will be considered on the conventional first‐come‐first‐served basis.
We are pleased to announce that our Intellectual Property Practice has recently earned a top ten ranking in the United States from Intellectual Property Today. This ranking is based on the 530 US trademark applications filed by the firm in 2006, a 32 percent increase over 2005's filings. This year's list comprises 172 law firms and individuals.
The PRC Anti-Unfair Competition Law ("Law") contains a relatively brief provision which prohibits the violation of trade secrets. The recently-enacted Judicial Interpretation on the Law by the PRC Supreme Court (came into effect on 1 February 2007) sheds light on the scope of protection of trade secrets under the Law.
The Supreme Court decision in ESSO (Thailand) Public Company Limited vs Thai Company XYZ (No. 5196/2549, 27 October 2006) highlights the importance of registering a trademark license agreement with the Trademark Office. The Plaintiff licensed his trademark "ESSO" to the Defendant under a Gas Station Operation License Agreement (the "Agreement").
12 January 2007 - International law firm Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw LLP is pleased to announce that Susie Curtis, former head of Unilever's trade mark filing and prosecution team, joined the firm on 4 January 2007. Susie has a wealth of experience, working in private practice both in specialist IP solicitors and as a partner at a leading firm of trade mark attorneys, before joining Unilever.
12 January 2007 - On January 9, 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court dramatically changed the rules governing the relationship between patent licensors and their licensees when the licensees are faithfully paying their royalties and are otherwise licensees in good standing. Reversing the Federal Circuit and overturning Federal Circuit precedent, the Supreme Court (opinion by Justice Scalia) held in MedImmune, Inc. v. Genentech, Inc., Case 05-608, that the licensee in good standing, MedImmune, did have standing to bring a Declaratory Judgment Action to challenge the infringement and the validity of the licensed patent.
15 May 2006 - Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw LLP has received three NameProtect Trademark Insider awards for 2005 for trademark filings including the number one Chicago Law Firm, a Top 10 U. S. National Firm award, and partner Joan Long received an individual award as the number three Top U.S. Trademark Filer.
March 2006 - Copyright; Patents; Trade Secrets; UK Court Procedures; Trademarks; UK Data Protection Act; UK Intellectual Property Audits; US Corporate Intellectual Property Issues;
March 2006 - New rights for performers - how are they relevant to publishers of audio books? The right to be named; The right to object to derogatory treatment; What if there are several performers?
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