Month: January 2025

Showing four small red peppers with wrinkly skin and pointed tails
Patents

A Tale of Two PuckerButt Peppers: Patent Protection for Craft Agriculture

Introducing Some of the Hottest Siblings You May Not Know About

When you think of the hottest siblings on the planet, do you think of the Hemsworth brothers or the Kardashian sisters? In the world of celebrities, hotness is relative and hard to measure. In the world of super-hot chili peppers, hotness is measured in Scoville Heat Units and can be scientifically tested. When making super-hot chili peppers is your business, protecting your intellectual property (IP) is a spicy subject.

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Rachel Wright
Trademarks

GRIDIRON TO COURTROOM: WHO OWNS “8”?

When two NFL quarterbacks battle for control, fans typically expect a showdown on the field. But what happens when the competition moves from the gridiron to the courtroom?

The trademark dispute between Troy Aikman and Lamar Jackson offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of intellectual property law, where athletes strive to protect their brands through trademarks. Whether you’re a Ravens fan, a Cowboys supporter, or an intellectual property enthusiast, this case illustrates the intersection of branding, identity, and legal conflict.

Consider this a playbook to understanding the legal game behind the “8.”

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Taylor Lores
Why Loyola

Affirming the Path: Angling IP at Loyola

Getting Hooked on IP

Given my STEM background, once I shared my interest in law school, people frequently suggested intellectual property (IP) as a career path. At the time, I didn’t personally know any lawyers, but I was eager to explore this potential career path. A family friend connected me with a partner at Greer, Burns & Crain (“GBC”), who invited me to shadow an associate for a day.

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Taylor Lores
Trademarks

Very Demure, Very Mindful, Very Trademarkable? Can TikTok Catchphrases be Trademarked?

The rise of social media has presented challenges to trademark law, as it has blurred the lines between creative expression and brand identity used in commerce. Social media platforms like TikTok have fundamentally changed how entertainment is produced, consumed, and monetized. Social media provides an entertainment platform that allows for entertainment from user to user instead of from an entertainment company to a viewer. TikTok is particularly known for its popular trends and quick fame achieved through its short-form content. Many creators on this platform become known through catchphrases, witty one-liners, and nicknames. These phrases have potential to generate significant value through increased followings, brand deals, merchandise, and online advertising. This raises the question of  whether a TikTok catchphrase or nickname can be a valid trademark. If so, does the creator who popularized it through the app have rights to the mark?

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Emma Welch
Why Loyola

Putting the Ball in Their Court, and Mine: Sports and Intellectual Property Law

Connecting a Love of Sports to a Love of Intellectual Property Law

Sports have always played a significant role in my life, shaping my personal identity and relationships along with my professional pursuits in intellectual property law. Before discussing how sports sparked my interest in practicing intellectual property, I want to share how my love for sports began. Playing soccer connected me to my community and taught me perseverance. Watching Manchester United kept me in touch with my European family and built a stronger relationship with my Nana. I found pride in being a student at the athletic powerhouse of the University of Georgia and, during my senior year, got to experience the feeling when your team wins a championship. My freshman-year roommate, a die-hard Chicago Bears fan, sparked my Bears fandom as we watched the team every football weekend. Since I have always been captured by sports’ power to unite communities, countries, and even the world, I knew I wanted sports to remain a meaningful part of my life.

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Emma Welch