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For me, creativity has always been a way of standing out from the crowd, doing the unexpected, and adding passion to my work. My parents nurtured my creative side from an early age, gifting me Legos, subscribing me to Popular Science, and encouraging me to get involved in school activities with an artistic angle. I remember creating a hoverboard using a leaf blower in fifth grade, winning the science fair in sixth, and joining my small-town high school newspaper shortly thereafter. Soon, I began designing beautiful centerfolds, reporting on the latest tech topics, and writing poems and short stories. I also began to apply my creative skills to my schoolwork, adding unexpected pizzaz to my assignments.

In college, I continued to develop my creative skills. I taught myself how to code websites, crafted logos for non-profits, tried my hand at techie DIY projects (parabolic wi-fi dish, anyone?), and began painting abstract art. I also continued to apply my creative design and writing skills to the classroom and leadership positions in student government. Creativity helped me stand out in these venues and present my ideas in compelling ways. Furthermore, infusing imagination into everything I did made tasks fun and fulfilling. This strategy also worked well for me in law school, where I developed my love for all things intellectual property: patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, right to publicity, you name it. That passion continued to develop after law school as a clerk to a federal judge in the District of Minnesota.

 

Join me on this blog as I return to my journalist roots, discuss contemporary topics in intellectual property, and add creative commentary to the marketplace of ideas.

Recently, a friend and I were watching The Bachelor—I know, I should be ashamed. During one of the commercial breaks, a spot appeared on-screen showing a woman wearing an elegant dress walking through a hallway. She turns into a doorway, and blue, shimmering light projects onto her face, as if she was underwater. A

Earlier this month, a California federal judge kept alive a suit brought by the estate of famous jazz musician Thelonious Monk against North Coast Brewing Co. for trademark infringement and infringement of the right of publicity. The dispute centers around North Coast’s popular “Brother Thelonious” Beligan-style abbey ale (beer seems to be on the mind

Today I write with a thought-provoking question: Just who owns the trademark rights to Telsa/SpaceX’s Spaceman Roadster? Tesla? SpaceX? Perhaps even humanity?

If you didn’t catch it, SpaceX recently launched its first Falcon Heavy three-booster rocket designed to carry large payloads into space. In a stunning feat of engineering and genius marketing, the rocket sent

Tis’ the season for football, not just on the gridiron, but also at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Shortly after the “Minneapolis Miracle,” as we reported this week, the Minnesota Vikings applied for registered marks on the phrase. And with the “big game” approaching, teams have titles on the mind–even those

For the past several years, DuetsBlog has covered fashion house Louis Vuitton’s outlandish trademark “bullying” against law schools, dog toys, photographers, and movie studios. Most recently, we discussed the brand’s latest high-profile lawsuit against rival luxury canvas tote maker (sarcasm), My Other Bag, for trademark infringement and dilution.

To the casual observer, one

December is one of the largest shopping months of the year, due mostly to the overlap of multiple major holidays, such as Hanukkah and Christmas, and the coming new year. It is perhaps unsurprising, then, that several companies and creatives invoke the spirit of the holidays through festive marks–to great financial gain. But you

On Monday, November 27, 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court heard argument in Oil States Energy Services, LLC v. Greene’s Energy Group, LLC, No. 16-712. The case presents a direct challenge to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s (“USPTO’s”) “inter partes review” (“IPR”) process, under which third parties can petition the USPTO’s Patent Trial and

The weekend of October 20-21, 2017, the Minnesota Golden Gophers and North Dakota Fighting Hawks traded wins in one of college hockey’s most competitive series. While watching the NCHC broadcast, an ad for the “Sioux Shop” appeared on screen. The ad explained that the Sioux Shop sells North Dakota fan gear at Ralph

Recently, I attended the University of Minnesota’s celebration of “40 Years of Gopher Justice,” an event honoring the institution’s University Student Legal Service (“USLS”), a non-profit organization that provides UMN students with free legal services. The celebration included a panel on a contemporary topic in student advocacy: “revenge porn.” The topic isn’t relevant