In response to the COVID-19 crisis, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed House Bill 197 into law on March 27, 2020, a bill that had passed unanimously in the Ohio General Assembly.
Ohio's "Stay Home Order" requires all persons in Ohio to stay at their place of residence except when engaged in certain defined “Essential Activities,” “Essential Governmental Functions,” or to participate in “Essential Businesses and Operations."
Earlier this month, Ohio legislation became effective that removes doubt as to the enforceability of electronic signatures, records, and contracts that are secured through blockchain technology. The amendment makes Ohio one of only a few states to expressly identify blockchain technology in its laws – positioning Ohio as a blockchain-friendly state for a technology, around which both regulatory and business uncertainty loom due to its infancy and breadth of potential applications.
Selecting a name or brand for a new product or service involves multiple considerations, some of which are not obvious at first and can haunt the company later. Marketing teams struggle with choosing a name that balances the right message and image to attract the target consumers while informing those consumers of the benefits and functions of the new product or service. During this process it is easy to forget that brands are valuable assets and protectable property under trademark law. Trademarks are the public face of a product or company and hold the reputation and goodwill of the company, typically for many years and even generations. Thus, it is important to select the strongest trademarks to lay a strong foundation for a long-term asset. Following are five considerations, beyond the marketing concerns, to assist in selecting a strong new brand.
Heather Lutz, an associate in the Vorys Cleveland office and a member of the litigation group, authored an article for Crain’s Cleveland Business. In the article, Lutz describes the common types of the licenses that protect open source software code.
Fifteen states and the District of Columbia have laws that restrict the collection of personal identification information at the point of sale when payment is made by a credit card. Retailers received good news recently from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in Hancock v. Urban Outfitters.
To expand the scope of their business – either geographically or into additional product categories – many companies license their trademarks. Company "A" sells milk, for instance, and shipping milk far from its source of production may not make economic sense. A restaurateur wishes to open restaurants in other states. Another company has expertise in selling men's clothes, but would like to expand to men's shoes.
Specifics about copyright and fair use can be complicated. In this easy-to-navigate chart, we clarify 10 of the most common misconceptions regarding copyright and fair use.
Ease, simplicity, and low start-up costs are just some of the reasons customers turn to software-based "cloud" applications and services. This client outlines the risks associated with using these applications and provides possible solutions.
Lisa Pierce Reisz, a partner in the Vorys Columbus office, and Brian Donato, the firm’s chief information officer, co-authored an article for the September 2013 edition of Peer-To-Peer titled “In Their Hands and in the Cloud: Managing Mobile Risks.”
“Use” of a trademark or service mark under U.S. trademark law is often misunderstood. Even the best-intended trademark owners encounter unexpected, sometimes fatal, barriers in their attempts to register their marks and maintain their registrations.
Lisa Pierce Reisz
Julie K. Brown