Music fans in Houston may recognize singer Tracy Chapman’s 1988 song, “Baby Can I Hold You.” Thus, they may be interested to hear that a copyright dispute between Chapman and rapper Nicki Minaj regarding the use of that song has recently been settled. The settlement...
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Houston Business Law Blog
New trademark law goes into effect this year
Everyone knows that the budget bill passed at the end of last year, called the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, H.R. 133. It was signed into law on Dec. 27. Among its many provisions were the Trademark Modernization Act of 2020. Trademark Modernization Act of...
What is considered a trade secret?
The goal of most businesses in Texas is to sell their products or services for profit. There are many different aspects of the business and the various aspects of the business need to be running smoothly to ensure that the company is earning money. However, one of the...
An overview of important intellectual property terms
Intellectual property law can seem complex to many individuals and business leaders in Texas. After all, the concept of property is oftentimes physical, whereas “intellectual” property is more commonly associated with ideas, brands and logos. For those who run into...
Steps to take in preparing to file for a trademark
There are many businesses and products that people in Texas own or develop. Starting these businesses and developing products takes a lot of time and energy. People also generally do it in order to make money off of it. This means that they must be able to sell the...
Texas restaurants trademark law dispute over naming rights
In Texas, restaurants will rely on the quality of their fare and the atmosphere in which they present it to be successful. Part of that is creating a memorable aspect that people will think of as they decide where they want to eat. For successful restaurants, it is...
Filing a lawsuit for trademark infringement
If you go to the store, you will see that there are hundreds of companies making similar products. Trademarks are essential for businesses to let customers know which products are theirs, therefore protecting their company’s reputation. When another company...
What is the process for obtaining a trademark?
Oftentimes, brand names and logos are protected by trademarks. Trademarks identify that the specific good or service come from a specific source. There are a variety of steps to take if you are interested in applying for a trademark. First: select a mark First, you...