Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

Michael Best is a full service firm with more than 250 lawyers who provide our clients with the exceptional legal service and business acumen that have defined our firm for generations. Our practice is broadly organized into the following areas, each with its own sub-practices: Banking & Financial Services; Corporate & Transactional; Energy Law; Environmental & Natural Resources; Government Relations & Public Policy; Intellectual Property; Labor & Employment Relations; Litigation; Privacy & Data Security; Real Estate; and Tax.

Website:https://www.michaelbest.com
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Michael Best & Friedrich LLP Blogs

Federal Circuit Weekly
Blockchain + The Law
Best Trademark Blog

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Kenneth M. Albridge III

Latest from Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

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Michael Best secured a $325,000 judgement and permanent injunction on behalf of their client, Custom Dynamics LLC, against Lite Cycle for trademark infringement of their products. Custom Dynamics is a seller of LED lighting and other electronic equipment for motorcycles. A former distributor of Custom Dynamics, operating under the name Lite Cycle, was found to be selling counterfeit products of several Custom Dynamics’ registered and unregistered trademarks. As a result, the trial court awarded Custom…
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With stablecoins like Tether and Gemini making news recently, it is worth exploring what the term “stablecoin” means, and how it might impact businesses and consumers in the coming years. For starters, a stablecoin is a type of cryptocurrency that is designed to mitigate the short-term volatility that most cryptocurrencies are known for. Stablecoins are typically pegged to and collateralized by fiat currencies in a fixed ratio, and the most popular currencies are the U.S.…
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“If I can get a trademark just by using my mark to sell things, why should I register it?” We get this question a lot. It’s a great question. Traditional answers include how having a federal trademark registration gives you nationwide rights, and how it can provide benefits in litigation. As times have changed, however, another important reason has emerged. Today, we do everything through the Internet. It has become our go-to source for many different…
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Michael Best attorney Emily Lyons published an article discussing the intersection of blockchain technology and the Agribusiness and Food & Beverage industries. Emily writes: “When most people think of blockchain, they think of its application to cryptocurrencies like bitcoin. However, the technology has the potential for much broader uses across a wide swath of industries, particularly including agriculture and food. We are already starting to see some use cases, as there has been a recent…
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For anyone invested in cryptocurrencies or considering a capital raise funded through an Initial Coin Offering (ICO), it would be difficult to imagine two more diametrically different years than 2017 and 2018. As 2018 draws to a close, it is worth reflecting for a moment on all that has happened over the past two years. Bitcoin/Cryptocurrency In January 2017, anyone who had even heard of Bitcoin could purchase one for just under $1,000. The price…
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As soon as Halloween passes, it seems, Dr. Seuss’ Grinch starts to appear, trying to steal Christmas. There’s the classic TV cartoon version, the movie version starring Jim Carrey, the Broadway musical version, and for 2018, another animated movie version, this one featuring Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of the Grinch. A Grinch story of a different sort led to litigation in the Southern District of New York. Who’s Holiday, LLC produced a play called,…
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This post is broken into two parts. The first part briefly connects the concepts of trust, branding, and privacy while viewing these abstract concepts through the Facebook lens. The second part will look at how representations can impact branding, examining the fine line between what is an objective, substantiated representation (and what is not, i.e. puffery). But for the purposes of this post, definitions are important because the concepts of trust and branding in the…
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Traditionally, a company seeking to raise capital might do so by conducting an initial public offering (IPO), and investors participating in the IPO would obtain an ownership stake in the company. However, with the introduction of cryptocurrencies and digital tokens, new ways of raising capital and entering the public market have emerged over the last few years. Initial coin offerings (ICOs) function similarly to IPOs in that ICOs help companies raise funds, yet there are…
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Although the cryptocurrency market may be ripe for financial investment, individuals and institutions alike have been waiting for guidance from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as to how this market will be regulated. Fortunately, the IRS recently shed some light on this matter. On November 13, Charles Retigg, Commissioner of the IRS,  spoke at the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ (AICPA) National Tax Conference, and stated that “Cryptocurrency is no longer cash.”…
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In 2013, the USPTO issued U.S Trademark Registration 4,398,753 to Nike subsidiary Converse, Inc. The registration covered the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star midsole stripes, toe cap, and multilayered toe bumper featuring diamonds and line patterns, which Converse claims to have been selling since 1946.  In October 2014, Converse filed a complaint with the ITC alleging § 337 violations by various importers. Several respondents, including Skechers and New Balance, defended against infringement and alleged the…