IP Lawyers Praise Much of Draft Bill Targeting Bogus Trademarks

A draft bill aimed at curbing phony trademark registrations is getting good reviews from intellectual property associations and trademark attorneys who have seen the proposal, although some worry that it may be too early to write some provisions into law.

House Judiciary intellectual property subcommittee chairman Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) is drafting legislation to cut through fraudulent registrations, many of them from China, that limit the marks available to business owners. The measure would help the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office more efficiently block fraudulent marks and create a fast track for canceling them. It also would make it easier to ...