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What's in a Name Anyway? Trademark Basics for Community Associations

Written By Erica B. E. Rogers

December 6, 2024

This article explores the essentials of trademark rights, their relevance for community associations, and the balance between protecting these trademarks versus respecting the free speech of homeowners. I. What is a Trade…

The #AD Vantage Point: Navigating the FTC Endorsement Guides, Part III

Written By Lilian L. Faulconer and Erica B. E. Rogers

January 24, 2024

As a reminder, the FTC Endorsement Guides describe how the FTC evaluates whether certain advertisements are false and misleading under Section 5 of the FTC Act. Businesses should care about the FTC Endorsement Guide…

Ward and Smith: Our Highlights of 2023

Written By Laura V. Hudson

December 27, 2023

As we reflect on the past year, it's evident that 2023 has been remarkable for Ward and Smith. We've welcomed new team members, launched new practice groups, and been recognized in some pretty rare air, if we do say so ou…

It's About Time: Federal Court Addresses Delta-8

Written By Allen N. Trask, III and Amy H. Wooten

May 26, 2022

Delta 8 tetrahydrocannabinol ("THC"), an intoxicating form of THC often derived from hemp-derived cannabidiol (aka "CBD"), has been at the center of numerous hot button issues since its arrival in the broader hemp product …

The Fun and Whimsical (but Crowded) Landscape of Beer Names Part 1

Written By Norman J. Leonard

February 25, 2022

In addition to all its natural beauty and opportunities for outdoor recreation, Western North Carolina has more lately become known for its abundance of excellent craft breweries. For our residents and visitors who …

Highlights From the Intellectual Property Law Institute of the Lavender Law® Conference

Written By Erica B. E. Rogers

August 4, 2021

I recently attended the 2021 Lavender Law® Conference, a virtual event of social networking, on-demand programming, and live sessions hosted by The National LGBT Bar Association and Foundation. The final day of t…

Laptop screen with sticky notes used to layout a website design

Website Compliance: Key Costly Legal Risks Every Business Should Consider

Written By Angela P. Doughty, CIPP/US, AIGP and Erica B. E. Rogers

May 28, 2021

A recent statistic posted by Sweor states that 75% of consumers admit to making judgments on a company’s credibility based on the company’s website design. During COVID, many companies were forced to digitize …

U.S.-China Trade Deal Shows Potential for Improved U.S. Intellectual Property Rights in China

Written By Ryan K. Simmons

February 12, 2020

A result of negotiating techniques from Donald Trump's book "The Art of the Deal" or a result of strategies from the ancient Chinese military strategy treatise "The Art of War"? Who knows, but on January 15, 2020, t…

Tranquil Beaches and Simple Trademarks … and the Dangers Swirling Below

Written By Angela P. Doughty, CIPP/US, AIGP and Erica B. E. Rogers

August 10, 2018

Trademark clearance and registration—sounds like an additional legal expense, right? Unfortunately, this potential cost is the reason many individuals and businesses forgo the trademark clearance and registration pr…

Supreme Court Announces Broad Separability Test in Applying Copyright Law to Useful Articles

Written By Norman J. Leonard and Erica B. E. Rogers

April 19, 2017

This article continues the discussion in an earlier article addressing the scope of copyright protection as it applies to useful goods under copyright law. At the time the first article was written, Varsity Brands, I…

A red rose on a stem with leaves and thorns

Avoiding Three Costly Mistakes: Common Trademark And Copyright Pitfalls That Plague Businesses

Written By Angela P. Doughty, CIPP/US, AIGP

December 18, 2014

Intellectual property law impacts every business—whether owners of the business know it or not. For example, the moment a name is used in relation to your business's goods or services, certain trademark rights …

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What's in a Name Anyway? Trademark Basics for Community Associations

The #AD Vantage Point: Navigating the FTC Endorsement Guides, Part III

Ward and Smith: Our Highlights of 2023

Top 10 Most Popular Articles of 2023

It's About Time: Federal Court Addresses Delta-8

The Fun and Whimsical (but Crowded) Landscape of Beer Names Part 1

Highlights From the Intellectual Property Law Institute of the Lavender Law® Conference

Website Compliance: Key Costly Legal Risks Every Business Should Consider

U.S.-China Trade Deal Shows Potential for Improved U.S. Intellectual Property Rights in China

Tranquil Beaches and Simple Trademarks … and the Dangers Swirling Below

Supreme Court Announces Broad Separability Test in Applying Copyright Law to Useful Articles

Avoiding Three Costly Mistakes: Common Trademark And Copyright Pitfalls That Plague Businesses

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