Trademark Registration: Standard Application vs. Intent to Use Application

USPTO Trademark Registration The difference between a standard trademark application versus an Intent to Use application. We always get a lot of questions regarding trademarks, about the registration process, and the different types of trademark applications. Watch the video to learn more about the USPTO and how to register trademarks.         Contact…

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“Can I do this?” Frequently Asked Questions about Alcohol

FAQ Time: I stumbled upon this helpful “Frequently Asked Questions” pamphlet that the NC ABC Commission wrote. We underlined certain portions for emphasis. The link to the original PDF is below. Q: If I run out of alcoholic beverages at one business can I transfer it to my other permitted business? No. If you own…

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Brewing after the TTB

Just when you thought you were done with the TTB. . . . It is extremely important to keep the TTB informed about any major changes to your brewery, winery, or distillery. Anytime you have a “significant change” you need to update your Brewers Notice with a TTB Amendment. A “significant change” is generally: A…

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Trademarking “Sunshine State Brewing Company”

There are a couple of issues with trademarking “Sunshine State Brewing Company.”  (1) You cannot register a geographic location on the federal registry (USPTO). (2) You cannot register a generic word or phrase. Let’s delve into the reasoning. For “Sunshine State Brewing Company” you cannot own the words “brewing company” because they’re generic. The word…

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What’s on your label?

Label requirements can be tricky-different rules apply to different states. Domestic beverages and imported beverages have different guidelines. The purpose of this blog is to clear up some of the confusion surrounding beer labels. For all intent and purposes I will focus on North Carolina rules since that is what I am most familiar with.…

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New Beer, Old Building, New Headaches

Moving a Brewery into a Historic Building? Think Twice. I’m not saying you shouldn’t do it. In fact, I’m all for revitalizing derelict structures or repurposing really cool old buildings into breweries, distilleries, brewpubs, whatever. But, there are some serious considerations if you’re going to do it. I’ve outlined some of my concerns (some legal…

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Why are (some) Trademark Attorneys Jerks?

I do a fair bit of work in intellectual property and, especially, trademark issues. It always surprises me what bullies, blusterers, and even a$$holes trademark attorneys can be. The general jerky-ness of attorneys is well publicized in social media and the vast number of lawyer jokes out there (for example: http://www.jokes.com/funny-lawyer-jokes). But, even among lawyers,…

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