PODCAST: Williams Mullen's Trending Now: An IP Podcast - Cease and Desist Letters: Protecting Your Intellectual Property the Right Way
PODCAST: PODCAST: Williams Mullen's Trending Now: An IP Podcast - Cease and Desist Letters: Protecting Your Intellectual Property the Right Way
A Counterintuitive Approach to Winning Without Litigation: One-on-One with Haley Morrison
SkadBytes Podcast | Tech’s Shifting Landscape: Five Trends Shaping the Conversation
Tips for Conducting a Trade Secret Assessment with Rob Jensen
Will I Get Sued if I Create Another Hospital Drama? — No Infringement Intended Podcast
Essential Steps to Sell Your Business
Mickey Mouse: un ratón con abogado
(Podcast) The Briefing: The Ninth Circuit Puts the Brakes on Eleanor’s Copyright Claim
The Briefing: The Ninth Circuit Puts the Brakes on Eleanor’s Copyright Claim
Unexpected Paths to IP Law with Dan Young and Colin White
Why Can't I Clean the Graffiti Off My Walls? — No Infringement Intended Podcast
(Podcast) The Briefing: Trademark Smoked: The Fall of General Cigar’s COHIBA Registration
The Briefing: Trademark Smoked: The Fall of General Cigar’s COHIBA Registration
PODCAST: Williams Mullen's Trending Now: An IP Podcast - NCAA Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) Update – Effects of House Settlement
How IP Can Fuel Your Startup's Growth
Tariffs and Trade Series: What Senior Management Teams Need to Know
5 Key Takeaways | AI and Your Patent Management, Strategy & Portfolio
Two Key Considerations in NIL Deals
JONES DAY TALKS®: Women in IP – AI and Copyright Law Need-to-Knows
On February 27, 2025, the District of Minnesota granted a franchisor’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit initiated by its franchisee, alleging, among other things, breach of contract and misappropriation of trade secrets under the...more
The California decision reinforces a strict approach to assumption of franchise agreements, underscoring potential roadblocks for franchisee reorganizations. Even where a debtor is not assigning a franchise agreement,...more
A franchisor may pursue claims for declaratory and injunctive relief for potential trademark infringement against a former prospective franchisee even though the prospect never actually used the marks in question. Grainier...more
A federal court in Virginia recently ruled that it had federal question subject matter jurisdiction over a Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA) claim, rejecting Defendants’ argument that a foreign bankruptcy proceeding stayed the...more
An Illinois federal district court granted partial summary judgment in a trademark dispute against Ledo Pizza System, Inc. (“System”) and Ledo Pizza Carryouts, Ltd. (“Carryouts”), a franchisor of pizza restaurants...more
As explained in Polsinelli’s prior alert of April 24, 2024, the FTC announced its final rule on non-compete covenants (the “Rule”) on April 23, 2024. Critically, the Rule does not prohibit non-compete agreements between...more
Australia welcomes new business and foreign investment by providing a strong economy, a stable political environment and a skilled and talented workforce. Our comprehensive guide to Doing Business in Australia has been...more
A gym franchisor recently secured a preliminary injunction against its former franchisee prohibiting the franchisee from operating an independent gym on the same location and using the franchisor’s trade secrets. Chris...more
On December 6, 2022, at the Asociacion Interamericana de law Propiedad Intelectual (Inter-American Association of Intellectual Property (ASIPI)) 23rd Work Sessions and Administrative Council meeting in Medellin, Colombia,...more
On November 3-4, 2022, at the American Bar Association’s 45th Annual Forum on Franchising, Marc A. Lieberstein, Partner at Kilpatrick Townsend, and Lee Plave, Partner at Plave Koch PLC, presented Coming To America: So You...more
Federal trademark registration is the Holy Grail for companies, especially franchises, looking to expand their footprint and access a national audience. But even though trademark registration confers on owners certain...more
On April 14, Kilpatrick Townsend’s Brand Licensing and Franchise Partner Marc Lieberstein joined Jason Adler, General Counsel at Cellairis, a global franchisor in the wireless accessory and repair retail space, Janaki J....more
This communication is for brand owners (franchisors, suppliers, licensors) that rely on authorized brand users (franchisees, distributors, dealers, licensees) to operate businesses identified by your brand name that...more
Kilpatrick Townsend senior counsel Chris Bussert recently presented in a workshop with Jeremy Liebman, franchise counsel at Krispy Kreme Donut Corporation, and Jason Adler, general counsel at Cellairis Franchise, Inc., at the...more
This infographic provides an overview of U.S. franchising and insight into the valuable role of trademarks and other IP assets to franchisors. ...more
When business owners contemplate expansion and growth of their business enterprise and brand, they must first make a fundamental decision on strategy and method of expansion. Should they (a) expand on their own, utilizing...more
A United States District Court (Northern District California) (“Court”)addressed in a January 3rd Order a retail motor fuel franchisee’s request for a preliminary injunction against an oil company’s termination of its...more
An Illinois federal judge recently found that a franchisor has the absolute right to control its franchisees’ advertising of the products and services offered under a franchise. Lokhandwala v. KFC Corp., No. 17-cv-6394 (N.D....more
How has the gourmet burger gone awry? According to Fox, the better burger business dropped five percent in foot traffic at quick-serve restaurants last year, primarily because consumers are opting to “DIY” their food at home....more
An important part of the franchise system is the confidential operating manual. Many franchisors claim protection of operating manuals under the law of trade secrets and copyright. Keeping the contents confidential is...more
The National Labor Relations Board continues to infiltrate the workplace even where there are no unions. Standard workplace policies — including those relating to employee conduct, protecting intellectual property, use of...more