Advanced Trademark & Unfair Competition Law

This course builds upon the Intellectual Property survey course, using the Lanham Act to address the adoption, registration, maintenance and enforcement of trademarks; false advertising, dilution, counterfeiting and other aspects of unfair competition; and the relevant defenses and available remedies. Students will be introduced to the advantages of federal trademark protection and will learn key aspects of practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, including trademark prosecution and the handling of opposition, cancellation and concurrent use proceedings. Measures for international protection, including the Madrid Protocol, are covered, as are issues of branding and domain name protection. Rights in trademark at common law and the state law right of publicity are addressed.