This course will introduce students to the federal Lanham Act and related common law doctrines designed to protect against consumer confusion and appropriation of commercial goodwill. In addition to the technical requirements for trademark eligibility, registration, and infringement, we will consider the constitutional and economic underpinnings of trademark protection and evaluate current trends toward the “propertization” of trademark law, First Amendment defenses, and the role of the right of publicity.
For more information visit the Harvard Law School Course Catalog.