Understanding Trademark Law

Understanding Trademark Law is a comprehensive and up-to-date guide to the law of trademarks and unfair competition. It provides a thorough introduction to the federal laws protecting registered trademarks and trade dress, as well as the broad array of federal and state unfair competition doctrines which protect unregistered trademarks and trade dress. Coverage includes the standards and procedures for obtaining federal registration, the rights and remedies available to owners of both registered and common law marks under federal and state law, and the full array of applicable defenses. The text examines both the substantive and procedural rules governing traditional claims for infringement of trademarks and trade dress, as well as claims of dilution, false advertising, and cybersquatting.

This is a detailed and sophisticated, yet concise, treatment of the rapidly expanding area of trademark and unfair competition law. All assertions in the text are supported by precise citations to the relevant authorities. In addition to providing a thorough explanation of the fundamentals of each topic, the text identifies those areas in which the law remains unsettled due to conflicting or sparse authorities, makes note of circuit splits and emerging trends in the law, and points the reader toward additional authorities that will enhance his or her understanding of each topic. This text is suitable as an introduction to the field, as a practitioners desk book, or as a study aid to accompany any of the standard casebooks on the subject.