Balancing Intellectual Property Rights: Can You Patent The Sun?

Balancing intellectual property rights concerning the COVID 19 vaccine while serving the public good is the dilemma facing our global population today.  Failure to strike a balance creates a conflict between those living in developing countries and those in...
Patents: Frequently Asked Questions

Patents: Frequently Asked Questions

Ference & Associates is a IP boutique law firm whose practice is limited to patents, trademarks and copyrights. We frequently get asked questions about the many aspects of the patent process. While there are a multitude of intricacies that we could dive into, the...

Can Coronavirus Be Blamed For Copyright Looting?

Is copyright looting justified? Rakuten Kobo Inc., a Canadian company that sells e-books, audiobooks, e-readers, and tablet computers, has signed up 2 million new users during the past three months, illustrating the rise in e-book adoption. The global coronavirus...

Safe Shopping Online… What Is The Shop SAFE Act?

As the e-commerce retail online platform gains in popularity and captures a larger percentage of consumer spending, counterfeiting increases as well.  The Stopping Harmful Offers on Platforms by Screening Against Fakes in E-Commerce Act (Shop Safe Act 2020) seeks to...
Supreme Court Rules on Booking.com Trademark Case

Supreme Court Rules on Booking.com Trademark Case

It’s rare that the Supreme Court issues a trademark or patent decision. Thus, today’s email.On Tuesday, the high court issued an 8-1 ruling that sided with the online travel agency Booking.com, allowing it to trademark its name.The decision will have a ripple effect...
COVID’s Impact on IP Law

COVID’s Impact on IP Law

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced massive worldwide changes that impact all areas of life, including the practice of law.  Fortunately for Intellectual Property (IP) law, a solid infrastructure for electronic communications was already in existence which has minimized...