Blog

When a Trademark Mistake Can Land You in Prison

And My Idea for a “Get-Out-of-Jail-Free” Card Not: "You're Fired" I tell people that I enjoy my patent and trademark work because at least no one can end up in jail. Then I saw a news story that made me realize otherwise. It involved a Mesa, Arizona police shooting. Never mind whether the shooting was justified, but lawyers for the “victim” are raising the issue of an inscription on a part of the officer’s AR-15 duty rifle. Those AR-15 dust covers seem to be a clean slate begging for expression in the minds of many gun owners, so customized versions are  [...]

By Ben Langlotz | April 13, 2017 | Business, Firearms, Firearms Industry Advice, How To, Trademark | 0 Comments Read More »

Snooping Your Competitor’s Secrets

Not a Photo of Donald Trump Every month, I personally search every trademark filing in the firearms industry. Keeping my ear to the ground like that helps me alert my trademark clients to cases of trademark infringement, usually at a very early stage. This helps us to nip conflicts in the bud, before the infringer becomes heavily invested and entrenched in their position. Often the infringer or their lawyer is simply naive about the need to search trademarks before adopting them. We send a letter, and they have the painless opportunity to pick another non-infringing  [...]

By Ben Langlotz | March 14, 2017 | Business, Firearms Industry Advice, Intellectual Property Advice, Legal News, Trademark | 0 Comments Read More »

The SHOT Show in the Trump Era

It was the end of an era, and the beginning of a new age. On the final day of the 2017 SHOT Show all the business and gossip came to a halt, and we inaugurated a new President. The fear is gone, and that put the spring in our steps even on the fourth day of the show. But the big topic of conversation during the show was: “What now?” Companies no longer can run the CNC machines round the clock and expect to sell every stripped lower they make for $100 a unit. (I personally own the strippedlowers.com domain and don’t expect to find a buyer any time soon!) The folks  [...]

By Ben Langlotz | February 8, 2017 | Business, Firearms, Firearms Industry Advice, Intellectual Property Advice, Legal News, Opinion Pieces | 0 Comments Read More »

HOW TRUMP’S 2ND AMENDMENT COMMITTEE CAN HELP THE ECONOMY

President-Elect Donald J. Trump Last month, I introduced you to some of the members tapped by the President Elect to advise him on gun law reforms.  This month I’ll tell you what I’ll be whispering in their ears any chance I get. I don’t need to tell them how smart it is that Trump campaigned on nationalizing concealed carry rights, and others can weigh in on the best way to implement this.  I’m just impressed that to my knowledge Trump is the first politician on the national stage to voluntarily say anything positive about carry rights, let alone the  [...]

By Ben Langlotz | February 2, 2017 | Firearms | 0 Comments Read More »

Who is on Donald Trump’s Second Amendment Coalition?

Chairmen: Donald Trump, Jr. The Trump Organization Chris Cox Executive Director, NRA-ILA Co-Chairs: Ron Adams, NC Concealed Carry Assn. Thomas Alibrando, IWI US, Inc. Paul Babaz, Safari Club International Diane Bahnson, affiliation unknown Ronnie Barrett, Barrett Firearms Manufacturing Dan Berger, Nat’l Assn. of Fed. Credit Unions U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop, (R-UT 1) John Boch, Guns Save Life, Inc. Eli Bremer, Olympic pentathlete, entrepreneur Dave Butz, fmer Washington Redskins player Bob Callan, sport shooter,  [...]

By Ben Langlotz | January 26, 2017 | Firearms | 0 Comments Read More »

Who is Advising Trump on Gun Laws?

The Second Amendment Coalition that will be advising him on gun law reforms On November 3, 2016, President-Elect Trump announced the appointment of a 62-member advisory panel called the Second Amendment Coalition. I quickly scanned the list (to see the full list, go to the end) to see who I knew, and to get a feel for the crowd. Some I knew from my years in the industry, and I’ve gotten patents for one on the list. Others I recognized for their fame as competition shooters. Most I had never heard of... With the announcement, gun rights activists and industry  [...]

By Ben Langlotz | December 12, 2016 | Firearms | 0 Comments Read More »