View my professional biography
Sitting here, composing a profile for a blog on creativity and the law, I can’t help but recognize the irony of my overwhelming writer’s block. But, here we go…Although I wish I could say my path to the law was the result of a lifelong dream or calling, it was more the result mere curiosity and an affinity for leather-bound books. My gravitation towards intellectual property law, specifically, was probably less accidental, given the immeasurable impact of being a college student during the Napster® era. I’m the product of a modest, small-town Minnesota upbringing combined with some polish from a diverse educational background. I received my engineering degree from the University of North Dakota and then, on a whim, moved to North Carolina to attend law school at Duke University. The drastic temperature swing was certainly not the only difference between the two locales, and come to think about it, the only real similarity is probably the word “North.”
An engineer by training, I appreciate both quantitative and qualitative valuation. These two concepts collide head-on in IP law, creating what is, in my humble opinion, the most entertaining and exciting area of law. As we move towards an information-based economy, the laws which govern the incentivization, protection and distribution of information will only become more important. I see IP law as the front line.
When I’m not focusing on the law, I can typically be found (WARNING: stereotype coming) on the golf course. I also enjoy skiing (downhill and water). Unfortunately, as is the case with most hobbies, my skill level has not yet caught up to my enthusiasm. Perhaps when I retire...
Many of you may have heard recently that (in)famous dictator and all-around terrible (misunderstood?) person Manuel Noriega has sued Activision. According to the LA Times:
In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Noriega alleges that “Call of Duty: Black Ops II” portrays him as “a kidnapper, murderer and enemy of
For those of you interested in the patent component of “the useful Arts,” the Supreme Court recently issued its decision in Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank Int’l. The decision was much anticipated because of the impact it was expected to have on so-called “business method” patents. Business method patents have, since their inception,
Be forewarned. What you are about to read could very easily be characterized as a rant.
Earlier this week, I was driving home from work when I heard a radio commercial for Mountain Dew Kickstart. Similar to the above visual advertisement, the radio spot touted the perfect combination of “dew, juice, and electrolytes.” And, with
Unless you’ve been living under a rock this past week, you likely heard the story of Donald Sterling–vile racist billionaire NBA franchise owner–versus Adam Silver–white knight commish of the NBA working to free the world from the clutches of tyranny and racial oppression. As usual, the full story is somewhat more complicated. Sterling was
On April 30, 2014, the Supreme Court will be hearing oral argument in the case of Limelight Networks, Inc. v. Akamai Technologies. The question presented and to be decided is incredibly significant for future patent infringement cases:
Whether the Federal Circuit erred in holding that a defendant may be held liable for inducing patent infringement
Every now and then I see an advertising campaign that really takes me by surprise and compels me to gush over it publicly. While I suppose there is no particular recipe for the campaigns that really draw me in, I have noticed a strong emotional component and a conscious effort to sell the company, rather
As some of you may know, I commonly write posts on “personal branding” involving sports figures and other celebrities. (See here, here, here, here, and here). Well, last week, a Seventh Circuit decision came down involving perhaps the most significant personal brand owner of all–Michael Jordan. The Court’s summary
About two weeks ago, the artist (known as, then formerly known as, and now again known as) Prince filed a copyright infringement suit against 22 “accused bootleggers” (most likely fans) that had been posting links to unauthorized concert recordings. (See story here.) Apparently, due to the backlash from fans and, more importantly, due to
Since I’m a massive contemporary hip-hop fan (okay, not really), I felt compelled to comment on the entertaining “Coinye” controversy that recently bubbled over. For those of you not in the know, “Coinye” was apparently intended to be a virtual currency in the same vein as BitCoin.
The lawsuit was brought in Federal
I come bearing breaking legal news from the Land Down Under, specifically, New Zealand. It appears that Coca-Cola recently suffered a small setback in its quest for world domination. Those of you familiar with non-traditional trademarks likely know that Coca-Cola has enjoyed a relatively long history of protection regarding its “contour bottle” shape.
