The United States and other Western nations imposed harsh economic sanctions against Russia in response to its brutal invasion of Ukraine. Those sanctions have dealt a serious blow to the Russian economy, but ripple effects are now being felt by foreign companies that have patents, trademarks, or other intellectual property in Russia. Russia has begun to take steps to make […]
The number of international trademark filings in the United States has increased significantly over the last several years. In the past, foreign registrants were able to apply for a U.S. trademark without U.S. legal representation, but that may soon change. The USPTO has issued a new proposal, effective in July, that will require foreign trademark applicants to hire U.S. based […]
The Chinese government is paying its citizens to obtain US trademark registrations — regardless of the legitimacy of the registration. These payments by the Chinese government amount to nearly $800 per US trademark registration that is obtained (a potential profit per trademark of $525 after filing fees). Given that the median monthly income for a Chinese citizen is around $1,000, […]
Starting November 7th of this year, a 99th member will be added to the Madrid Protocol. Becoming the 115th country, Thailand will officially become a member of the Madrid Protocol. If you have ever wanted to expand your trademark rights to more than one country, you are probably familiar with the Madrid Protocol. If you are not, the Madrid Protocol is […]
On June 23, 2016, the United Kingdom voted on a public referendum to leave the European Union. This referendum, known as “Brexit” (a combination of Britain & Exit) and has put the future of British trade with other European Union members in a state of turmoil. However, its effects could reach far outside of Europe, as U.S.-based businesses try to […]