Articles & News

What Are The Copyright Risks Of Creating A Website Based On Third-Party Content? July 20th, 2016 by

The May 16 2016 edition of Tech Law Questions, a publication of the Santa Clara High Tech Law Journal, features an article entitled “What Are The Copyright Risks Of Creating A Website Based On Third-Party Content?” authored by Mark Punzalan of Punzalan Law, P.C.

Reducing the Chances of a Trade Secrets Lawsuit: How to Advise Your Business January 21st, 2016 by

The Fall 2015 issue of the California State Bar’s publication “Big News for Solo and Small Firms” features an article entitled “Reducing the Chances of a Trade Secrets Lawsuit: How to Advise Your Business authored by Mark Punzalan of Punzalan Law, P.C.

Supreme Court Upholds Limit on Patent “Superpowers” in Kimble v. Marvel Entertainment July 22nd, 2015 by

One of the primary benefits of obtaining a patent for an invention is to negotiate licensing agreements with companies that wish to produce and sell the product. These agreements are often long-standing and provide the patent-holder with substantial royalties in exchange for the license to use the invention. In 1964, the Supreme Court’s opinion in Brulotte v. Thys Co. substantially…

Mark Punzalan Selected as 2015 “Rising Star” in Super Lawyers™ July 22nd, 2015 by

Punzalan Law, P.C. is pleased to announce that Mark Punzalan, the firm’s Principal Attorney, has been selected as a “Rising Star” in the 2015 Northern California Rising Stars edition of Super Lawyers Magazine.  Super Lawyers honors outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Each year, no more than 2.5% of the lawyers in…

The Nuts and Bolts of U.S Copyright Law April 27th, 2015 by

Individuals and businesses face can face copyright disputes in many different types of situations and often may not even be sure that a copyright issue exists. Some of the following are some common examples of copyright infringement in the United States today: A musician samples a piece of another song or copies a particular chord progression without authorization; A person…

The U.S. Supreme Court Hands Down An Important Trademark Decision in B&B Hardware, Inc. v. Hargis Industries, Inc. April 27th, 2015 by

In March 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States handed down a case that could have a substantial effect on trademark matters in the United States. In B&B Hardware, Inc. v. Hargis Industries, Inc., the Supreme Court reversed the finding of the Eight Circuit Court of Appeals in a trademark dispute involving two metal fastener manufacturers that were concurrently…

The ABC’s of Cease & Desist Letters: When to Send and When to Respond February 17th, 2015 by

Whether you are an individual whose copyrighted work is being used without permission or a company whose trademark is being infringed, a “cease and desist” letter is often the first step to enforce and preserve your intellectual property rights. Alternatively, you may have received a cease and desist letter notifying you to stop infringing someone’s IP, and the letter may…

California Trade Secret Law 101: Protecting Your Intellectual Property February 17th, 2015 by

When most people consider intellectual property protections, they tend to think first of the rights that can be obtained by filing patents, trademarks, or copyrights. While these legal mechanisms confer significant protections in a particular piece of intellectual property (IP), they also require that the rights-holder disclose their invention, process, idea, or other IP to the public at large. In…

Litigator Heidi Kim Joins Punzalan Law, P.C. October 17th, 2014 by

Punzalan Law is pleased to announce that litigator Heidi Kim has joined the firm as Of Counsel.  Heidi brings a wealth of legal experience to Punzalan Law.  She began her legal career at San Francisco-based Gordon & Rees LLP in products liability and commercial litigation.  She then moved to Townsend and Townsend and Crew LLP (now Kilpatrick Townsend LLP), specializing in…

What is a Whistleblower? September 15th, 2014 by

On September 22, 2014, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that it awarded a record $30 million to a whistleblower who provided original information that led to a successful SEC enforcement action. SEC Press Release. As Sean McKessy, the Chief of the SEC’s Office of the Whistleblower, stated, “Whistleblowers from all over the world should feel similarly incentivized to come forward with credible information…