No longer limited to social media, hashtags seem to be everywhere. With this ubiquity come questions about whether hashtags can be protected from use by competitors, as well as whether a hashtag can subject a user to liability for trademark infringement. As you may already know, a hashtag is a word or a phrase preceded by a "hash mark," also [...]
Washington legislators have passed - and the governor is expected to sign - two new laws that employers and employees will both want to know about. Pay Equity If signed by the governor, effective July 29, 2019, employers will be prohibited from asking for prior salary history from applicants (including existing employees seeking promotions and transfers) and their current or [...]
Surveys show that while most small-business owners plan to sell their businesses to fund their retirement, few have written succession plans. Further, many of these businesses are operated in such a way that it will be difficult, if not impossible, to find a purchaser. While you might think succession planning is a concern only for older business owners, it's important [...]
Could you be liable for the infringing activities of your tenants? It may surprise you to learn that the answer is "yes." In a number of cases, commercial landlords have been held responsible for contributory trademark infringement. Although contributory trademark infringement is not specifically addressed in the federal trademark statutes, the US Supreme Court has endorsed this judicially created doctrine. [...]
Whether you're an employer or an employee, you'll want to be aware of your state's laws about when paychecks must be delivered and how payment can be legally made. It is especially important that you know the rules for final paychecks, because failure to comply with applicable laws may result in an employer being ordered to pay the former employee [...]
We frequently get questions from our clients about requests for payment of registration, publication or renewal fees for corporate, domain name and intellectual property filings. Requests may also be received for monitoring fees or the preparation of minutes. The scam requests typically look like invoices or letters, often containing false due dates or threats about loss of rights if you [...]
With the continued focus on sexual harassment brought about by the #MeToo movement, it is important that all employers make sure they have appropriate written sexual harassment policies and training procedures in place. Employees at all levels should participate in anti-harassment training and, if your company doesn't already have an employee handbook that covers this issue, it's time to change [...]
Some of the most valuable assets a business has are its trademarks, and some argue that logos are the most important kind of trademarks. Good logos, such as the "swoosh," an apple with a bite taken out of it, and a pair of golden arches, immediately call to mind the brands they represent. Logos are somewhat unusual in the world [...]
Last month, the Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") sued Cure Encapsulations, Inc., ("Cure") and its owner, alleging that Cure had violated the FTC Act by making false and unsubstantiated claims about its weight-loss product and by paying a third party to write and post fake reviews of its product on Amazon. Cure's owner had contacted a website called Amazon Verified Reviews [...]
We're pleased to announce that we're moving back to our old office space now that the after-fire restoration has been completed. Our address will once again be 6665 SW Hampton St., Suite 200, Portland, Oregon 97223 (the change is from 6655 to 6665). Our phone number remains the same (503.968.8111). Unfortunately, this means our office will be closed for a [...]
