From Taylor’s Version to Taylor’s Voice: What Taylor Swift Teaches Us About Owning Identity in the AI Era
When Taylor Swift began re-recording her first six albums, she turned a dispute over master recordings into a public lesson in intellectual property ownership. Her fans didn’t need to understand every aspect of music copyright or the contractual history behind her original recordings to know Swift was making a major statement. She gave fans a […]
Foreign Legal Update: Louis Vuitton v. Molly Tea and the Problem With Owning Cultural Symbols
A reported trademark ruling in China involving Louis Vuitton and the fast-growing beverage chain Molly Tea has prompted a larger debate over whether a global brand can claim exclusive rights in a symbol that consumers associate with their own cultural history. According to press reports, the Suzhou Intermediate People’s Court found that Molly Tea’s four-petal […]
Dupe Culture Has a Legal Blind Spot: Why Copying the “Vibe” May Be the Next Big Brand Fight
Dupe culture used to describe a relatively simple transaction: a consumer wanted the look or function of an expensive product without paying the brand-name price. The alternative might resemble the original, but it was usually marketed as a substitute rather than an experience of its own. That distinction has become much harder to make. Today’s […]
Client Update: AI Talent Is Not a Shortcut Around Clearance
Brands are increasingly using AI-generated models, synthetic performers, voiceovers, avatars and virtual influencers because they can reduce production time and cost. The technology may simplify parts of the creative process, but it does not remove the need for legal clearance. In many cases, it adds a new set of rights, disclosure and contractual issues that […]
Beyond Registration: Andrea Cristiani on Building an IP Strategy That Supports Growth
Intellectual property is often treated as a technical legal exercise: clear a name, file an application, secure a registration. But for companies building valuable brands, that is only the beginning. Andrea Cristiani, an attorney at Minx Law and a multi-year Super Lawyers Rising Star, approaches trademark and brand protection through a broader commercial lens. Having […]
Intellectual Property for Tech Companies: Protecting Software, AI, Data, Brands, and Innovation
For technology companies, intellectual property is rarely limited to a single asset or department. It may exist within the software product, the customer experience, the company’s data practices, its brand identity, and the confidential knowledge that allows the business to move faster than competitors. That is why intellectual property should be treated as part of […]
Who Owns Intellectual Property? What Founders, Employers, and Creators Need to Know
Intellectual property ownership is often treated as a contract detail. For an executive team, it should be viewed as a business-control issue. A company may invest heavily in its brand, website, marketing, content, or internal systems, yet still have uncertainty around who legally owns those assets. That uncertainty can become costly during fundraising, an acquisition, […]
What Are Intellectual Property Rights? A Business Owner’s Guide to Protecting Your Brand, Content, and Ideas
A business is often valued for far more than its physical assets or current revenue. Brand name and recognition, along with the content it creates and internal processes, are also forms of intellectual property that hold business value. For many business owners, intellectual property becomes a focus only once a competitor or problem appears. This […]
Foreign Legal Update: The Philippines’ New GI Logo Shows How Countries Are Using IP to Protect Authenticity
The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines recently launched a national Geographical Indications logo to help consumers identify authentic Philippine products whose value is tied to where and how they are made. The new logo is intended to certify officially recognized Philippine GI products. Its use is limited to authorized GI registrants that comply with […]
CNN v. Perplexity: When AI Answers Become Copyright Problems
AI search tools are changing the economics of online publishing by giving users direct answers instead of sending them to the original source. For readers, that shift can feel seamless and efficient, but publishers have concerns. CNN recently sued Perplexity in federal court, alleging that the AI search company unlawfully copied and distributed CNN stories […]
