In-House Legal: From Cost Center to Growth Enabler
In-house legal teams are often seen as cost centers, but with the right strategy and partnership, they can become powerful contributors to business growth. Vorys eControl works alongside your legal team to enable a shift from risk management to growth enablement. Why Vorys eControl? Our integrated solutions empower legal teams to play a proactive role […]
Design Patents as an Efficient Brand Enforcement Strategy
Let’s talk about design patents. Just hearing the word “patent” can invoke apprehension that what follows involves a complicated, highly technical discussion about a topic you haven’t thought about since you were forced to take physics in high school. We get it. As enforcement experts, Vorys eControl can help translate the language of patents so […]
Tech Companies Playing Lawyer, Oh My!
What Happens When Companies Play Lawyer? In the fast-paced world of online marketplaces, the allure of quick and seemingly cost-effective solutions can lead brands into risky territory. At Vorys eControl, we’ve witnessed a growing trend of tech companies playing lawyer and positioning themselves as legal experts, promising easy takedowns and high success rates. As the […]
PFAS (Forever Chemicals) and What eControl Brands Should Know
What do mascara, menstrual underwear, and outdoor jackets have in common? Manufacturers of all of these products have been sued by consumers because their products contain one of the thousands of man-made chemicals referred to as PFAS (forever chemicals). There are many other PFAS-containing products on the market, even now. In addition to consumer lawsuits, […]
Legal Corner: Supreme Court Offers Further Guidance on International Reach of Lanham Act
Understanding the reach of Lanham Act decisions is now more critical than ever. By now, many in-house legal departments and eCommerce and sales professionals are well aware that the Lanham Act, which prohibits trademark infringement, is a powerful federal law that brands can use in their battle against unauthorized sales of their products, particularly on […]
Attention: Is Your D2C Website in Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
Compliance Is Not Straightforward, and ADA Lawsuits Are on the Rise. Is Your D2C Website in Compliance? It is an all too familiar scenario for businesses: a lawsuit alleging the failure of a D2C website to be accessible to disabled members of the public. If true, the event violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). […]
Legal Corner: INFORM Act Effective June 2023 Seeks to Increase Seller Transparency
With growing concerns about the safety, quality, and authenticity of products being sold on online marketplaces and the third-party sellers that sell them, Congress is stepping in with a new law. Called the INFORM Act, it’s designed to create more transparency and impose more accountability on online marketplace operators. In particular, the higher volume of […]
Seventh Circuit Decision Supports Personal Jurisdiction: Online Seller Allegedly Sells Infringing Product
Everyone Wants Home-Court Advantage This is why in cases involving the online sales of products that allegedly infringe on the plaintiff/manufacturer’s trademarks, the manufacturer often decides to file the lawsuit in the state where the manufacturer is headquartered (rather than where the online seller defendant is purportedly located). Where the manufacturer wants to file is […]
Ohio Passes HB272, INFORM Act: What Does It Mean for Sellers, Brands and Marketplaces?
Ohio Passes HB272 INFORM Act Ohio takes a step to stop retail theft by signing into law HB 272. On April 6, 2022, Ohio’s governor signed into law HB 272, Ohio’s version of the Integrity, Notification, and Fairness in Online Retail Marketplaces for Consumers Act, otherwise known as the INFORM Act. This makes Ohio the […]
UK Competition and Markets Authority Recommends Post-Brexit Changes to Competition Laws
On June 17, the UK Competition and Markets Authority (‘CMA’) published a keenly awaited consultation document setting out its proposed recommendations to the UK Government for the new domestic competition law regime for vertical agreements. The CMA’s approach is welcome news for eControl clients because it would favor brands in some important respects, while remaining […]
