Leveling The Playing Field-U.S. Court Jurisdiction Over Disputes Between American Professional Athletes And Foreign Sports Teams

This article, which explores federal court jurisdiction over foreign business entities in the context of an American professional baseball player’s lawsuit against a Japanese professional baseball team and its corporate owner, uses the decision of the District Court finding personal jurisdiction over the team, but not its owner, as a springboard for a broader discussion of the jurisdictional issue. It explores the various analyses that are employed by courts in the Third Circuit and other Circuits, focusing particularly on the interactive nature of websites as a basis for the exercise of personal jurisdiction.

Federal Circuit Throws Shade on TTAB’s Treatment of Color Trademarks

Pink insulation, green tractors, robins-egg blue jewelry boxes—they all have something in common: recognizable colors that many associate with products. But can colors be registered as trademarks and, if so, when? On April 8, 2020, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit provided welcome guidance for trademark owners and practitioners on the nuanced area of protecting trademarks consisting solely of colors.