In the past Mad Dogg Athletics Inc. has threatened trademark-infringement legitimation against many fitness industry players who use the terms “spin” or “spinning” according to Peloton’s petition with the Patent and Trademark Office’s Trademark and Trial Appeal Board. Mad Dogg Athletics is a California-based company that registered trademarks for “spin” and “spinning” for stationary bikes and fitness instruction in the late 1990s.

What do you think? Do you associate spinning with a particular brand? Or do you associate it with an activity?

This is not the first time Evermore Theme Park has been in hot water over the unlicensed usage of songs at their park. In 2019, the park was notified by BMI Nashville, a performing rights organization that manages music licenses for over 6.5 million compositions, of  "[the park's] unauthorized performance of the Works and their legal obligation to obtain licenses for the public performances of the Works.” Artists whose works have been performed include Katy Perry, the Beatles, Britney Spears, Nirvana, Billy Joel, Green Day, and Whitey Houston, among others.

​Atari just settled a similar dispute with company, Hyperkin Inc. a few months ago for selling a console and joystick that were modeled after the now defunct Atari 2600. Hyperkin originally claimed that that Atari abandoned the 2600 Console and Joystick trade dress rights due to the product’s use being discontinued. Trade Dress is a product’s commercial “look and feel”.

​What do you need to do if you get a Cease and Desist letter?  #1 Stay calm and avoid doing anything rash.  Your next steps are below:

​Of course, Apple is at it again! 

​LETTUCE TURNIP THE BEET is a popular culture brand that sells shirts, stickers, totes, and other merchandise that is popular with health-minded individuals and celebrities. The company originally sued Redbubble, Inc in November 2020 for selling products containing the brand’s phrase

I’m on the Money, Career, & Motherhood Podcast! Thank you host Janice Scholl for having me. I share my own journey in starting my business and handling law school while being a single mom. Then, we chat about how to find the right attorney for you and your business. It can be so intimidating, especially as a female entrepreneur, to hire an attorney and talk business. I love these kinds of interviews because I show how accessible and transparent working with a lawyer can be!