The Seventy Year History and Copyright Authorship of “Wagon Wheel”
“Wagon Wheel”: you’ve no doubt heard it playing at a bar, you probably sang along to it at a wedding, and you might even have a passionate opinion on which version is best. It’s so popular some venues banned it from their jukebox and cut it from their karaoke song catalogues. You know the song, but do you know its history?
The story of “Wagon Wheel” spans over seventy years of American music history, and features contributions from at least four, but possibly six, extraordinarily talented musicians. Its lyrical history also raises an important question, what does one have to do or contribute to be considered a co-author of a song under US copyright law?
The Candy Wars Part II: Dove v. Bliss in a Copycat Commercial Dispute
This is Part II in our recurring series: the Candy Wars! This series covers the numerous intellectual property disputes between the two American candy behemoths: The Hershey Company (Hershey) and Mars Incorporated (Mars). Part II covers the 2009 lawsuit where Mars sued Hershey over Hershey’s commercial for its (now-defunct) chocolate line, Bliss. In the Complaint, Mars alleged that Hershey’s Bliss commercial infringed, among other things, Mars’s copyright registrations for the DOVE commercial.
Inventor Spotlight: George Lucas and the Kenner Star Wars Figures
Did you know that George Lucas is a co-inventor for not one, not two, but FIFTEEN design patents for toys in the Star Wars universe?
Jump to hyperspace and read about the history of the merchandising of the original Star Wars trilogy, the legendary Kenner Star Wars action figures, and check out the design patents that covered some of the most popular Kenner Star Wars toys.
Two Chicago Hot Dog Companies Face-Off Over a Tasty Trade Secret
Take a bite out of this 2011 lawsuit that checks all the boxes: industry rivalries, family legacies, the Chicago World’s Fair, and, you guessed it, hot dogs! So, pass the mustard (NEVER KETCHUP) and learn about trade secrets, hot dogs, and Chicago history.
The Honeycrisp Apple & Plant Patents
This blog examines one of the most successful and beloved plant patents, the Honeycrisp apple, and delves into the history of apple cultivation, grafting, and breeding.
The Candy Wars Part I: Reese’s v. Peanut Butter M&M’s in a Trade Dress Showdown
Part I of a recurring series: The Candy Wars! This series covers one of many intellectual property disputes between the two American candy behemoths: The Hershey Company (Hershey’s) and Mars Inc. (Mars). Part I covers the 1997 lawsuit Hershey Foods Corp. v. Mars, Inc., where Hershey alleged that Mars’ Peanut Butter M&M’s packaging “unlawfully resemble[d]” Hershey’s Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup packaging.
Trademarking Red: Color Trademarks and Red Bottom Shoes
Since their debut, the legendary red bottom shoes have established themselves to be a staple in the fashion world. And great success cannot be achieved without great branding, and great branding cannot be achieved without trademarks. This article delves into Christian Louboutin’s mission to trademark and protect their iconic red bottom shoes in the United States.
Copyright Law & Tattoos: A Tiger King Story
A discussion of the unique aspects of copyright lawsuits over tattoos, featuring a recap of a recent 2023 tattoo copyright case, Cramer v. Netflix. In Cramer the Plaintiff, a tattoo artist, sued Netflix for copyright infringement when Netflix included a picture of Plaintiff’s copyrighted work, a COVID-19 Joe Exotic-themed tattoo, in a montage in the first episode of season 2 of Tiger King, without Plaintiff’s permission.
Inoperable Inventions: How Theranos Was Able to Patent Technology Built on a Lie
The story of the rise and fall of Theranos, and it’s founder Elizabeth Holmes, are well known. But what is less well known? How its possible that a company like Theranos can amass a huge patent portfolio on technology that, quite simply, does not work.
Taylor Swift’s Re-recordings Explained (Jen’s Version)
An explanation of why Taylor Swift is re-recording her first six albums and the legal background on copyright law in the music industry.
Are all AI-generated works void of authorship and originality?
A case study of Refik Anadol’s Unsupervised in light of the U.S. Copyright Office’s new policy on whether AI-generated visual works meet the three basic requirements of copyright protection.