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Intellectual Property Law Research Guide

U.S. Patent & Trademark Office

The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office web site provides a variety of resources regarding trademarks.

Consult Basic Facts About Trademarks an informative guide that explains the differences between different types of intellectual property. Frequently Asked Questions About Trademarks provides more details about trademark registration, trademark searching, and applications for trademark registration.

Background Reading

Trademark Basics
Internet: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Mitchell et al., U.S. Trade Dress Law, 2002.
XXKF3193.U55 2002, D'Angelo Law Library, Reserve Room

Pattishall, Hilliard, & Welch, Trademarks and Unfair Competition Deskbook, 9th ed. 2012.
XXKF3179.P3732 2012, D'Angelo Law Library, Bookstacks

Current Awareness Resources

BNA's Patent, Trademark & Copyright Journal
Print: XXKF3091.A3B53, D'Angelo Law, Bookstacks
Online: BNA's Patent, Trademark & Copyright Journal

Trademark Reporter
Print: KA1.T75, Mansueto
LexisNexis: TRDMRK;TMR
Online: HeinOnline

The United States Patents Quarterly
Print: XXKF2975.3.B87, D'Angelo Law, Bookstacks
Online: BNA Intellectual Property Library

The United States Patent & Trademark Office
Internet: U.S. Patent & Trademark Office

Practice Materials

Forms

American Jurisprudence Legal Forms (v.17)
Print: XXKF170.A542, Mansueto
Westlaw: AMJUR-LF

Current Legal Forms, with Tax Analysis (v.2)
LexisNexis: MATBEN;CLFTA

Nichols' Cyclopedia of Legal Forms Annotated (v.8A)
Westlaw: NICHOLS-LF

West's Legal Forms: Intellectual Property--Patents, trademarks, copyrights (v.25)
Print: XXKF1384.A65W47 1981, Mansueto
Westlaw: WEST-LF
Internet: U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: Trademark Forms

Trademark Practice Aids

Preparing U.S. Trademark Applications: Avoiding Common Mistakes
Print: XXKF3180.A93 2002, D'Angelo Law, Bookstacks

Trademark Registration Practice
Westlaw: TMREGPRAC

Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure (TMEP)
Print: XXKF3180.G55 2005, D'Angelo Law, Bookstacks
LexisNexis: Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure
Westlaw: Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure (FIP-TMEP database)
Internet: Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure via U.S. Patent & Trademark Office

Trademark Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual
Internet: U.S. Patent & Trademark Office

Official Gazette of the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office - Patent and Trademark Notices
Print: T223.V3 P38, Crerar, 1st Floor Physical Science Journals
Internet: Patent and Trademark OG Notices (1995-date)

Trademark Searching

There are many sources for trademark searching. Bibliographic searhces allow you to search descriptive information about trademarks. Full-text searches retrieve the description of the trademark as well as any drawings associated with a registered trademark. The Trademark Official Gazette lists trademark registrations issued each week and those published for opposition.

Bibliographic Search

Index of Trademarks Issued from the United States Patent and Trademark Office
Print: T223.V4A21, Crerar, Bookstacks

Full Text Trademark Registrations

LexisNexis: Federal Trademarks 
Westlaw: TRADEMARKSCAN - U.S. - Federal (Dialog) (FIP-TM database)
Internet: Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) via the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office

Trademark Official Gazette

Internet: U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (most recent 5 issues)

Major Treatises and Looseleaf Services

Callmann on Unfair Competition, Trademarks and Monopolies [Altman], 4th ed. 1981-present. [7 vol; updated 3x year]
XXKF1609.C330 1981, D'Angelo Law Library, Bookstacks
Westlaw: CALLMANN

Federal Unfair Competition [McKenney & Long]. 1989-present. [2 vol.; loose-leaf]
XXKF3193.M380 1989, D'Angelo Law Library, Bookstacks
Westlaw: UNFAIRCOMP

Gilson on Trademarks. 1974-present. [10 vol.; loose-leaf; updated semi-annually]
XXKF3180.G54, D'Angelo Law Library, Bookstacks
LexisNexis: GILSON

McCarthy on Trademarks and Unfair Competition, 4th ed. 1996-present. [7 vol.; loose-leaf; updated quarterly]
XXKF3180.M290 1996, D'Angelo Law Library, Reserve Room
Westlaw: MCCARTHY

Milgrim on Trade Secrets. 1967-present. [4 vol.; loose-leaf; updated 3x year]
XXKF3197.M54 1967, D'Angelo Law Library, Reserve Room
LexisNexis: MILGRM

Restatement of the Law - Third - Unfair Competition. 1995. [1 vol.; case annotations updated by pocket parts]
XXKF3195.R478 1995, D'Angelo Law Library, Bookstacks & Reserve Room
LexisNexis: UNCOM2 & UNCOM3
Westlaw: REST-UNCOM

 

Case Law Research

Reporters

The United States Patents Quarterly
Print: XXKF2975.3.B87, D'Angelo Law, Bookstacks
Online: BNA Intellectual Property Library

Finding tools

The United States Patents Quarterly. Annual Digest.
Print: XXKF2975.3.U52, D'Angelo Law, Bookstacks

Electronic Sources for Copyright Decisions

LexisNexis: TRDMRK;FEDCTS
Westlaw: FIP-CS
Internet: Supreme Court Cases about Trademark (from the Legal Information Institute, Cornell)
Internet: Patent and trademark cases from Federal Circuit Court via IPO (from 1996)

Statutes & Legislative Histories

Title 15, Chapter 22 is the section of the U.S. Code that outlines United States trademark law.

McCarthy on Trademarks contains references to legislative documents pertaining to trademark laws. See the Federal Legislative History research guide for information on how to compile a legislative history for other trademarks statutes.

Print: XXKF3180.M290 1996, D'Angelo Law, Reserve
Westlaw: MCCARTHY

Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA)

USPTO Report to Congress: The Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act of 1999, Section 3006 Concerning the Abusive Registration of Domain Names
Internet: U.S. Patent & Trademark Office

Federal Trademark Dilution Act

Federal Trademark Dilution Act Legislative History, Compiled by the Library of Congress
Internet: THOMAS

Administrative Law Research

Title 37, Chapter I of the Code of Federal Regulation is the section of the CFR outlining trademark regulations. See the Administrative Law research guide for information about the CFR and Federal Register.

The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board adjudicates disputes relating to the registration of trademarks. The Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks hears other matters by petition.

Trademark Trial and Appeal Board

LexisNexis: TRDMRK;TTAB
Westlaw: FIP-PTO
Internet: Trademark Trial and Appeal Board via U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

The United States Patents Quarterly
XXKF2975.3.B87, D'Angelo Law, Bookstacks
Online: BNA Intellectual Property Library

Commissioner of Patents

Decisions of the Commissioner of Patents
Print: K90.P3A2, Mansueto Library (1869-1968) 
HeinOnline: Decisions of the Commissioner of Patents (1869-1968)
LexisNexis: COMMR (1981-present)
Westlaw: FIP-PTO

Finding Articles in Journals and Law Reviews

LexisNexis and Westlaw both provide databases specifically for finding articles on intellectual property law.

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