Lewis Roca Blog

We laugh our way through some fun trivia and then discuss the latest at the USPTO with Molly Kocialski, Director of the USPTO's Rocky Mountain Regional Office.

Bid protest determinations serve to resolve challenges to procurement decisions by government agencies. Beyond that purpose, these rulings can also offer valuable insights as to what factors determine whether or not a contract proposal is successful. A recent example of such a decision from the Government Accountability Office is Matter of Tech Marine Business, Inc., B-420872, 2022 CPD ¶ 260, October 14, 2022. The GAO sustained this protest because the agency failed to adequately explain why it did not consider the contractor’s transition plan to merit a strength finding.

Non-Fungible Trademark? How brand owners and content creators are transitioning their trademark rights to the metaverse, the problems that come up with adapting the law and these rights to the new technology.

After his recent acquisition of Twitter, Elon Musk announced sweeping changes to the platform. Among them is his crusade to suspend accounts impersonating others unless the account “clearly” specifies the account is for parody. This defeats the very purpose of comedy. A joke is not funny if you have to explain it.

On November 8^th, Arizona voters approved Proposition 209, which significantly modifies the rights of creditors. Although the pre-election publicity focused mostly on medical debt, Prop. 209 changes how all types of debt can be collected against individuals. The initiative took effect on December 5, 2022.

Innovators seeking patent protection for entertainment software inventions should be aware that all software inventions face patent-eligibility issues. Nevertheless, patent practitioners who are experienced in the art of software patent prosecution can help ensure that software inventions get maximum protection.

The best time to respond to a ransomware attack was yesterday, but the second-best time to start responding is today. Study after study over the past year has confirmed that having a plan in place in the event of a data breach and ransomware attack can save you and your company millions. Every employer has a fire evacuation plan and drills they run, and this is no different.

Governor Doug Ducey announced that Arizona will implement its new 2.5% flat income tax rate on January 1, 2023, a full year ahead of schedule. According to Gov. Ducey, the accelerated implementation is the result of the state’s “continued economic growth and record surplus.”

The document where you sign your life away. The best of them ask you to fill your name out at the top and then initial every single paragraph across multiple pages of the release. As the paragraphs progress, the consequences of your "fun" activity get more and more dire.

When to laugh or when to sue? Famous brand owners face this question when their brands are used as the butt of a joke or in humorous-intending spin-off products.