Last month I mentioned a trademark bullying webinar available through Minnesota Continuing Legal Education (MinnCLE), here. Tuition was $95 for 75 minutes of action-packed discussion on this very hot topic, so, a real bargain.

Now, MinnCLE is graciously making it available for viewing free, here, so enjoy. (No CLE credit).

By way of preview, yours truly set up the topic and then moderated an engaging discussion with four interesting and insight-filled speakers:

  • Mike Masnick of Techdirt fame provided a brief 10-minute video making the case for why trademark bullying is a problem and he notes some of the worst offenders (including Monster Cable), and then provided other live commentary on the topic.
  • Jack Clifford, a thirty-year veteran of Merchant -Gould identified Kellogg’s as an owner deserving the “trademark bully” title. Jack noted Leo Stoller as a “trademark bully” of sorts that the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) sanctioned, but he generally thinks the TTAB is a “playground without a proctor,” leading to abuses by trademark owners in that forum — since no fees or other monetary sanction is possible at the TTAB.
  • Jackie Leimer, currently of Chicago-Kent College of Law, provided a wealth of insight and perspective as former President of the International Trademark Association, former Chief Trademark Counsel of Kraft, former Partner of Kirkland & Ellis, and former trademark counsel of Quaker Oats.
  • Last, but certainly not least, my trial partner Craig Krummen, of Winthrop & Weinstine, did a very fine job identifying and analyzing the various legal tools available to those who feel victim to the acts of trademark bullies. Good stuff.

I hope you enjoy the webinar and fine it useful. Please share any thoughts you have about it here.