Intellectual Property Law

The Section extends you a warm welcome to 2026, and hopes that this quarter is already proving fruitful and joyous for each of you. Read more

Outdoor apparel company Patagonia sued drag queen and environmental activist Pattie Gonia for trademark infringement, claiming the play on its name could create consumer confusion. Read more

Authors suing chipmaker NVIDIA Corp. over its artificial intelligence models have been allowed by the federal district court in Oakland to file an amended complaint adding allegations that NVIDIA illegally downloaded the authors’ copyrighted works from online “shadow libraries.” Read more

The U.S. Copyright Office released an updated version of its copyright registration and recordations bulk dataset. This is the first major update since the Office initially released bulk data on over forty years of copyright registrations and other records in 2022. Read more

Estee Lauder was sued by a startup that accused the cosmetics company of effectively putting it out of business by stealing technology to boost sales from travelers in hotels. Read more

Interested in volunteering with the IP Section and have a particular interest in all things tech? Transactional attorneys confront a bevy of issues, and staying up to date on a wide array of subjects is critical, especially in the rapidly advancing realm of IP practice. Read more

The U.S. Copyright Office now offers Group Registration for Two-Dimensional Artwork (GR2D), allowing artists to register multiple published two-dimensional works with a single application and filing fee. Read more

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has rejected the A's attempt to trademark the names "Las Vegas Athletics" and "Vegas Athletics." The team, which plans to relocate to Nevada in 2028, has three months from the December 29 refusal date to request an extension of time to respond to the refusal and then six months to submit a new application. Read more

The California Lawyers Association Intellectual Property Section recently reported on its engagement with the European patent system through the U.S. Bar–EPO Liaison Council. As part of these activities, CLA representatives met with the European Patent Office, the EPO Boards of Appeal, and members of the Unified Patent Court to discuss recent developments in European patent law, quality initiatives, and emerging case law. Read more

Each year the IP Section offers attorneys in California an opportunity to contribute to the legal profession by volunteering to serve on its Executive Committee. This gives IP Section members a great opportunity to get more involved with the Section, to network with colleagues, and to work on programs and other projects of interest. Read more