Even young music fans in New Jersey likely know that Bob Dylan was a major counterculture figure in the 1960s, but they may not know that the 77-year-old folk singer is now a successful entrepreneur. Dylan's thriving whisky company, which was launched in April 2018, is named after one of his most famous songs, but Heaven Hill Distillery has taken exception to the name and filed a trademark infringement lawsuit that aims to shut Dylan's nascent commercial venture down.
Multinational companies may need to better assess IP risks
According to the Intellectual Property Litigation Risk Report, companies with a multinational presence may be overlooking key intellectual property issues. Firms based in New Jersey may face risks because intellectual property has become more mobile. Mergers between companies as well as the creation of new fields such as health tech have also factored in the increase of intellectual property disputes.
Actor's family files trademark lawsuit against Ferrari
One ongoing intellectual property dispute may be of interest to classic movie and automobile fans in New Jersey. The descendants of the famous actor, Steve McQueen, are suing the luxury car company Ferrari for marketing cars by making use of the actor's image without compensation. The family members allege that the sports-car company made an unfair profit from the legacy of McQueen when it created and sold a special branded vehicle in 2017. The limited-edition "McQueen" model was issued as part of a 70th anniversary commemoration of the production of Ferrari cars.
