The Lion Gets The Last Roar: Canadian Intellectual Property Office Now Accepting Sound Mark Applications

The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) is now accepting sound mark applications.  CIPO released a practice notice on March 28, 2012 that “in view of a recent Federal Court Order, effective immediately, the Office will accept applications for sound marks.”

A Lion’s Tale

The order marks the end of a nearly twenty-year saga of arguments, refusals, extensions and appeals over an application for ROARING LION (SOUND ONLY) by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Lion Corp. (i.e. MGM Studios), filed in October 1992.  As of March 28, 2012,

The Brand is the Message: Speaking at Ryerson

I am looking forward to teaching tonight at the Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University. I enjoy teaching, and the mission for tonight’s seminar course is to explore the basics of trade-mark law and, hopefully, make it come to life. What is it, why is it there, and since we have it, what can we do with it?

Apple. Google. Nike. Hermes. It isn’t easy being a brand.

As a lawyer and trade-mark agent, it is one thing to be inside the machinery of the process and to help clients navigate the legalese, technicalities and risks associated with using and enforcing trade-marks. However, it is also exciting to be part of the process of helping a brand come to life and keep its legs in the marketplace. Teaching, and sharing perspectives with business law students on how trade-marks support their business strategies should be a great discussion. Trade-marks and brands: you can’t have one without the other? If you build the brand, will they come? We’ll find out tonight.

The (R)evolution Continues: Interactive & Digital Media

I am looking forward to speaking tomorrow at the Ontario Bar Association conference “Interactive and Digital Media: The (R)evolution Continues.” On the panel “Branded Content and Video and Online Games,” I will discuss advertising and privacy risks, as well as challenges advertisers and content producers face when negotiating agreements to create branded content. We will also look at intellectual property and personality rights issues, and the role of social media, user generated content and virtual worlds. Other panels will examine the first six months of the Canada Media Fund, the guidelines of the Documentary Organization of Canada’s Fair Dealing and Copyright Guidelines, and there will be a discussion and Q&A on new distribution platforms for content in the world of digital media.

Click here for OBA website conference registration page and brochure.