Connecticut (CT) Intellectual Property CLE Course Catalog

Who killed JFK? While he doesn’t answer that question, in the latest installment of “The Curious Lawyer” series, Peter Afrasiabi discusses several legal issues arising from the assassination of President Kennedy including copyright, freedom of speech and the press, government takings, prosecutorial overreach, access to government records, and antitrust.

In this program, a panel of key thought leaders will provide an in-depth discussion of the critical and recurrent issues surrounding trade secret litigation. Speakers will also offer new defense strategies to ensure success in this type of lawsuit.

To thrive amidst uncertainties and the constant pressures facing startups, such companies should be well-versed in any developments surrounding patent laws and best practices to successfully navigate through legal complexities, build sound patent portfolios, and recognize common pitfalls which could result in long-term repercussions. Join experienced patent attorneys Robert Plotkin (Blueshift IP) and Mehdi Sheikerz (Staas & Halsey LLP) as they provide a comprehensive discussion of the latest trends and developments surrounding patent laws. Speakers, among other things, will also offer practical tips and strategies for managing patent portfolios for startups.

With the ever-changing regulatory trends involving patent infringement, lawyers should be competent in furnishing a sound damage analysis to mitigate risks and effectively respond to damage discovery. Reasonable royalties are by far the most common form of damages awarded among the primary remedies available in patent infringement cases. However, the implications of MLC International v. Micron Technology have left questions among patent litigators, particularly on the required disclosure of a royalty rate during fact discovery. Listen as a panel of distinguished professionals provide a comprehensive discussion of the recent developments and legal issues surrounding patent infringement cases. Speakers, among other things, will discuss the role of patent litigators and economic experts in framing out and filling in a survivable damages analysis

Conversations around generative artificial intelligence are dominating the social stratosphere. By simulating human cognitive thinking, generative AI can produce new types of text, imagery, audio, and synthetic data by using patterns and informational elements obtained from prior works. Because generative AI often relies on pools of data and third-party creations to create new content, there is a concern that generative AI may, whether intentionally or inadvertently, exploit copyright-protected content to develop purportedly original content. Organizations that leverage generative AI tools should be mindful of how the tools are used in a commercial context to mitigate the risk of infringing uses. Likewise, owners of intellectual property should be aware of how their works are used by generative AI models and the users of these tools, and timely action should be taken to defend intellectual property against infringement.

When is a trademark famous enough to receive heightened protection under federal law, including protection from being diluted by other similar marks? Peter Afrasiabi discusses the key contours of trademark law and trademark dilution claims in the context of litigation over famous marks including Jack Daniels, Porsche, Victoria’s Secret, Sony, Spotify and Pinterest.

What is the difference between a design patent and a utility patent and which receives more protection under federal law? Peter Afrasiabi answers this question while explaining the key aspects of patent law, common defenses to patent claims including functionality, obviousness, invalidity/prior art and potential damages in the context of famous patent cases involving Apple, LA Gear, Crocs, Nike and Columbia Sportswear. Peter also shares valuable practice pointers for lawyers grappling with patent issues and claims.

Join this program for an in-depth analysis of IP rights enforcement amidst the current technological revolution. Speakers will discuss the various challenges brought by these developments and will offer helpful tips to strengthen one’s protection and compliance strategies in this evolving legal climate.

In this fun and timely program, Peter Afrasiabi examines the colorful history of politicians using popular songs at campaign events and the legal disputes with musicians who opposed their works being used in this way. From such famous examples as President Reagan using Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” and former President Trump using Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World,” this program delivers a tour-de-force analysis of copyright, trademark and right of publicity law applied to musical compositions used to sell political campaigns.