On February 8, 2023, a jury in the Southern District of New York reached a verdict finding Mason Rothschild liable for trademark infringement of the Hermes BIRKIN mark when Rothschild advertised and sold a series of “MetaBirkin” non-fungible tokens. The verdict required Mr. Rothschild pay $110,000 for trademark infringement and dilution, as well as $23,000 for cybersquatting on the MetaBirkins domain name.
Continue Reading First Ever Trial On NFT Trademark Infringement Finds Against The NFT Creator

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are creating new economic opportunities in old, familiar spaces. To capitalize on the current popularity of NFTs, some retailers are turning to the timeless art of nostalgia: reworking old media or products into an NFT collection to advertise a brand in an online space or bring new attention (and customers) to a vintage product.
Continue Reading NFTs: For Many Retailers, the “N” Stands for Nostalgia

June 9, 2022 letter to the Directors of the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and US Copyright Office, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) requested that the agencies jointly undertake a study of intellectual property (IP) rights considerations with respect to non-fungible tokens (NFT or NFTs).
Continue Reading Senators Dive Into the World of NFTs, Asking US Patent and Copyright Offices to Consider Questions Regarding Related IP Rights

The intersection of retail sales and blockchain technology is a current “hot” topic. But what does this actually mean for retailers? Is the time and money needed to invest in new technology worth the cost? What intellectual property protection is available?
Continue Reading How Retailers Can Make the Blockchain Work for Them in the IP Space

Hunton Andrews Kurth attorney, Mayme Beth Donohue, member of the firm’s blockchain working group, was recently interviewed as part of the University of Virginia’s new podcast series, Common Law, exploring cutting-edge issues about the future of law. Mayme discussed various practical applications of blockchain, including supply chain management, product authenticity and blockchain-based mortgages, and how in-house lawyers should think about issue spotting blockchain implementations.
Continue Reading Podcast: How Blockchain Could Change Everything