Beautiful day in DC for a peaceful protest against tyranny

walking by the DOJ building in DC

Quote skeet with a picture of the airplane you'll accept as bribe

In Alcon Entm't v. Tesla, producers of Blade Runner 2049 sued Musk for copyright & trademark infringement for his AI-generated cybercab promotions. This quote made it into the district court's tentative ruling:

Team effort by the faculty at @auwcl.bsky.social to write this letter. Feeling all kinds of respect for my colleagues.

#clever

Fun facts from T. Hine's The Total Package:
1) Before Kleenex, tissues were sold without boxes
2) Before Colgate’s tubes, toothpaste needed to be spooned from a jar
Made me think about how today companies try to protect packaging innovations thru trademark with functionality as the only constraint

I did it. I published another piece about the 1929 Inter American Convention on Trademarks in Sean Morris' wonderful new book on IP in the interwar period. If you're not yet fascinated with the Inter American Convention, then we haven't met.

A highlight was seeing my former SJD student, Alhanoof AlDebasi in action as a Saudi delegate!

Attended my 1st WIPO DipCon in Riyadh to conclude the Design Law Treaty. Amazing experience. Stay tuned for my paper with Thomas Margoni explaining the implications for the agreed text.
@pijip.bsky.social @auwcl.bsky.social @profseanflynn.bsky.social

In my hotel room

Should SCOTUS answer the Question Presented IT wrote? Or dismiss as improvidently grated? Or answer the question Petition wants answered? These were the questions at oral argument this morning.
Join us in person or online at 5pm Eastern TODAY to hear what the Copyright Office & amici think 👇

Happy to share my latest article: "Trademarks in an Algorithmic World." As retail goes virtual, marketing becomes data-driven & purchasing decisions are automated by AI, is trademark's information transmission function as valuable to consumers? papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

The AALS Art Law Section, under the leadership of Emily Behzadi, addressed the legal mechanisms for protecting Indigenous cultural heritage. Sara Bronin updated us on her work as Chair of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

Looking forward to this Trademark event at UNH Franklin Pierce on the Vidal v. Elster case with @rtushnet.bsky.social, @jakelinford.bsky.social, @trademarksaremagic.bsky.social, 7 others

In Contracts, I taught Mitchell v. Moore yesterday, a case about restitution. Some students thought the story sounded like it should be a movie, so after class they made this film poster for Mitchell v. Moore, the movie.

NY bill to make certain contracts for use of digital replicas void as against public policy. Seems right. Contracts not void if individual is represented by counsel or labor union. legiscan.com/NY/text/S076...
#contracts #RightofPublicity

Photo from @edleeprof.bsky.social from Friday's 2023 Supreme Court IP Review. Guess which decision we were reviewing?

Deciding whether to use my new fridge.
It arrived with a contract taped to it!
By USING it(!), I agree to mandatory arbitration