In this installment of Benefits Bulletin, Andrew S. Williams reviews incentive compensation arrangements and cautions on how to avoid falling into the ERISA trap.

In Brief: Sonny’s widow cannot terminate Sonny and Cher’s marital settlement agreement.

In Brief: The US Supreme Court determined that Trademark Law prohibits the registration of someone’s name without their permission.

In Brief: Similar trademarks can be used in different ways without causing confusion.

In Brief:  Musical works and sound recordings must be registered separately as distinct, copyrightable forms of expression.

In Brief:  Prior analogous common law use of a trademark bars registration by a late-comer.

In Brief:   The Copyright Statute of Limitations does not limit damages.

Andrew S. Williams explores the potentially looming future of Social Security and the changes that could help forthcoming generations.

In Brief:  The Federal Trade Commission takes aim at non-competes leaving the fate of protecting trade secrets in the balance.

In Brief:  Wording in a prior settlement agreement barred a trademark opposition proceeding.

In Brief:  ELVIS means something new in Tennessee.

In Brief:  Creating a deep fake of George Carlin wasn’t funny.

In Brief:  Inventorship can be based on unclaimed improvements that are necessary for enabling the invention to work.

In Brief:  US Supreme Court determines when a governmental official cannot bar free speech on social media. 

In Brief:   A Creative Commons license is enforceable just like any other license.

Andrew S. Williams examines the SECURE Act and what it means for employers’ retirement plans.

In Brief:  Google’s use of framing in its search results is a copyright issue.

In Brief:  Love is in the air as inventors tackle Valentine’s Day.

In Brief:   Abstract ideas for time tracking software are not patentable.

In Brief:  A trademark that is generally known to refer to the use of a controlled substance cannot be federally registered.

In Brief:  The US Supreme Court held that, with some exceptions, US Trademark Law does not reach infringement outside the US.

In Brief:  As January reaches the halfway point and New Years’ resolutions to work out weaken, a trademark case involving a fitness franchise seems appropriate.

In Brief: As we leave 2023 behind, it’s time to acknowledge those who achieved infamy in the world of Intellectual Property.

In Brief:  On January 1 of each year, some copyrighted works fall into the public domain. That means, they are free for use, copying and as a basis for derivative works. Works created before 1928 are now in the public domain. Thousands of works spanning all copyright categories make up the Public Domain Class of 2024. Members of the Public Domain Class of 2024 have cultural significance spanning from the Harlem Renaissance to feminist literature and represent advances in free expression. Here are some notable graduates.

In Brief:  There’s a limit to how many permutations of a word can avoid a likelihood of confusion.