Analyzing Search Reports, Overcoming Clearance Challenges, and Crafting Opinions

A live 90-minute CLE webinar/teleconference with interactive Q&A
Sponsored by the Legal Publishing Group of Strafford Publications
Wednesday, October 5, 2011 ~ 1:00pm-2:30pm EDT
Price: $297

Please note: You will be taken to the Strafford website to complete your order.

This CLE webinar will provide guidance to trademark counsel on analyzing and using trademark searches and overcoming the challenges of the trademark clearance process. The panel will outline best practices for preparing clearance opinions.

Description

Before adopting a mark, a business must understand all potential infringement risks. In-house and outside counsel rely on trademark clearance searches to identify those risks. Many courts recognize reliance on trademark searches and counsel’s clearance opinions as a defense to infringement claims.

Counsel must carefully analyze the results of the clearance search and assess the risk posed by use of the proposed mark. Millions of dollars may ride on the analysis and the decision on how to proceed based on the clearance opinion.

However, the assertion of the advice of counsel defense carries the risk of privilege waiver. Companies and counsel should weigh the risks of having a formal written clearance opinion. If such an opinion is sought, the circumstances will shape what should be included in the opinion letter.

Listen as our authoritative panel of trademark attorneys examines the analysis and use of the clearance report, the challenges in trademark clearance and the steps to overcome those challenges, and offers best practices for clearance opinions.

Outline

1. Analysis and use of search reports
2. Clearance challenges and steps to overcome them
3. Best practices for preparing clearance opinions

Benefits

The panel will review these and other key questions:

• What factors should counsel consider when analyzing a clearance report?
• What strategies can counsel employ to overcome challenges posed by the trademark clearance process?
• What should be included in a trademark opinion letter?

Following the speaker presentations, you’ll have an opportunity to get answers to your specific questions during the interactive Q&A.

Faculty

Stephen R. Baird, Shareholder
Winthrop & Weinstine, Minneapolis
He heads the Intellectual Property and Trademark and Brand Management Practice Groups, and his practice emphasizes trademark law, related unfair competition law and copyright law. He counsels clients on trademark usage and clearance, branding strategies, portfolio management, litigation and enforcement, Internet domain name disputes, licensing and prosecution.

Additional faculty to be announced.

Register Today!
Price covers an unlimited number of staff at your office location. Can’t participate in the live seminar? A CD of the full event proceedings, including Q&A and PDF files of all handouts, will be available 10 days after the seminar.

Continuing Legal Education
Continuing Legal Education credits are granted for an additional $65 per person. Please refer to the options on the order page to take advantage of these credits.

Please note: You will be taken to the
Strafford website to complete your order.