IP Monday Law Blog
In rapid succession, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced two new Community Engagement Office locations: Montana State University (Montana) and the University of Utah (Utah).
This is not a mere coincidence, it is strategy. Taken together, these announcements signal something more significant than just administrative expansion. They reflect a structural shift where innovation is happening and how federal intellectual property (IP) infrastructure is responding.
We are witnessing the expansion of a new “Innovation Frontier”.
Why Montana and ...
In the NIL era of college sports, athletes are moving fast: launching personal brands, apparel, and merchandise, while attention is high. Speed matters. But when a brand name feels instantly familiar, that familiarity can sometimes be a legal warning sign rather than a strength.
I’m seeing a growing pattern: NIL brands built around phrases that intentionally echo well-known movie titles, characters, or pop-culture names, often through rhyme, cadence, or wordplay. They feel clever and marketable. And they often create trademark risk that isn’t obvious at first glance.
