Author Archives: Goodell DeVries

We Have a New Team Member. Meet Jim O’Brien, Lawyer in Business/Corporate, IP, Estates and Trusts Matters

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Jim O'Brien - Business/Corporate, IP, Estates and Trusts Lawyer - Baltimore, MD

Jim O’Brien

We are pleased to welcome a new colleague. James Patrick O’Brien has joined Goodell DeVries as an associate. Jim practices in our Business and Corporate Law, Intellectual Property, and Commercial and Business Tort Litigation groups.

He represents clients involving corporate governance, business transactions, intellectual property protection and management, and commercial disputes. Jim also handles estates and trusts matters, creating personalized estate plans for individuals and families as well as guiding fiduciaries through the estate administration process after a loved one passes away. Continue reading →

Intellectual Property Lawyer Kaitlin Corey Scores Win in WIPO Trademark Proceeding

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Kaitlin Corey - Business and intellectual property lawyer at Goodell DeVries

Kaitlin Corey – Business and intellectual property lawyer at Goodell DeVries

Intellectual property lawyer Kaitlin Corey recently secured a win for her client, a process serving company, in an administrative panel decision in the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) Arbitration and Mediation Center. The complaint, which was filed by a competing process serving company, alleged that the client’s use of a particular domain name for its website infringed the complainant’s federally registered trademark.

In her WIPO response, Kaitlin established that the complainant’s federally registered trademark is merely descriptive, and the complainant failed to prove secondary meaning to establish a protectable mark. The Panelist also found that the complainant brought its WIPO complaint in bad faith, finding that its attempt to transfer the domain name was an attempt at “Reverse Domain Name Hijacking.”

This case serves as a worthwhile lesson to business owners to choose protectable trademarks and steer clear of descriptive marks.

Jim Astrachan Named Baltimore Lawyer of the Year for Intellectual Property Litigation

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Jim Astrachan - Intellectual Property Lawyer

Jim Astrachan

Congratulations to our partner, Jim Astrachan, on being named the 2025 Baltimore Lawyer of the Year in Intellectual Property Litigation by Best Lawyers.

The Best Lawyers Lawyer of the Year honors are awarded to only one lawyer per practice area in each region with extremely high overall feedback from their peers, making it an exceptional distinction. Continue reading →

Intellectual Property Lawyers Jim Astrachan and Donna Thomas Recognized in Chambers 2024

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Congratulations to Jim Astrachan and Donna Thomas, who were recognized in the 2024 edition of Chambers, a leading ranking of the world’s top lawyers. Both were selected for the Maryland Intellectual Property category.

Jim and Donna are ranked in Chambers every year, which is a testament to the stellar reputation their IP practice has earned (and held) for decades.

Jim Astrachan - Intellectual Property Lawyer

Jim Astrachan

Donna Thomas - Baltimore Intellectual Property Lawyer

Donna Thomas

 

WEBINAR: 3 Key Issues for Maryland Business Owners in 2024

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Complimentary Webinar for Maryland Business Owners: Tuesday, January 16, 2024, 10:00 – 10:45 a.m.

Maryland companies face new and evolving obligations in 2024. Prepare your business now by understanding the issues most likely to affect your organization’s financial and legal positions.

Join us for this complimentary webinar on three key developments that business owners should be thinking about in 2024. We will provide an overview of:

  • MarylandSaves, a new retirement program created by the state of Maryland
  • Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), which was passed to enhance transparency in entity structures and ownership to combat illicit activities
  • Maryland Family Paid Leave, which guarantees workers the right to up to 12 weeks of paid, job-protected leave to attend to family matters
REGISTER NOW

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Kaitlin Corey Joins Board of Discovery Center at Water’s Edge

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Kaitlin Corey - Business and intellectual property lawyer at Goodell DeVries

Kaitlin Corey – Business and intellectual property lawyer at Goodell DeVries

Intellectual property lawyer Kaitlin Corey has been appointed to the Board of the Discovery Center at Water’s Edge (DCWE).

DCWE is a trailblazing educational institution dedicated to nurturing a lifelong love of learning and exploration in STEM. Its mission is to create an inclusive environment where people of all ages can engage with interactive science exhibits, attend enriching workshops, see new technology, learn about the local science heritage, and discover the fascinating world of STEM. Continue reading →

U.S. Copyright Law Protects Only Human Works

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By Guest Contributor Victoria E. Thornton

You may have seen online images that were created using artificial intelligence (AI) and wondered whether copyright law protects the artist’s efforts. In most instances, apparently not. A recent landmark decision by the United States Copyright Office holds that copyright protects only human-made works.

The Copyright Office’s February 21, 2023, published decision explains why artificially made works are not protected. “Zarya of the Dawn” is a comic book authored by Kristina Kashtanova and illustrated using Midjourney, an artificial intelligence program. See U.S. Copyright Office Correspondence to Kristina Kashtanova (Feb. 21, 2023). Though the Office granted limited registration as to the text of the work as well as the selection, coordination, and arrangement of the work’s written and visual elements, it declined to protect the artificially generated illustrations. Id. at 1.

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