Foreign-Based Infringers Beware: You May Be Within Reach of The Federal Long-Arm Statute

Written by Sofia Castillo Last week, the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued another opinion on when U.S. federal courts may exercise specific personal jurisdiction over foreign-based sites sued for copyright infringement. Will Co. Ltd. v. Ka Yeung Lee, No. 21-35617 (Aug. 31, 2022), was published a few weeks after Lang Van, Inc. v. VNG Corporation, 40 F.4th 1034 (9th Cir. 2022) and two … Continue reading Foreign-Based Infringers Beware: You May Be Within Reach of The Federal Long-Arm Statute

Foreign Trademark Applicants and Registrants Are Now Required to be Represented by U.S. Attorneys

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By Alesha M. Dominique and Dima S. Budron

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) published a new rule on July 2, 2019, requiring trademark applicants, registrants, and parties to Trademark Trial and Appeal Board proceedings whose domicile is not located within the United States or its territories to be represented before the USPTO by a U.S.-licensed attorney as of August 3, 2019. Domicile is typically defined as the permanent legal place of residence of an individual or the headquarters of an entity. The rule does not retroactively apply to applications filed before August 3, 2019, but impacts such applications if an office action is issued on or after August 3, 2019, requiring the applicant to designate a U.S.-licensed attorney to respond. This rule is intended to streamline trademark registrations and reduce the potential of invalidations by providing the USPTO a more efficient way to enforce statutory and regulatory requirements.

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The United States Finalizes Its Welcome Notice to Israeli Investors: E-2 Visas Available in May

Global business concept.
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By Frida P. Glucoft

Pursuant to a recent announcement by the U.S. Embassy in Israel, E-2 Investor visas will be available to Israeli citizens starting May 1, 2019.  While the bill granting Israeli citizens eligibility for the United States E-2 Treaty Investor visa was signed into law in 2012, the availability of visas was delayed by lengthy negotiations over the final terms of the reciprocal agreement between Israel and the United States.  Fortunately, the terms of the reciprocal agreement between the two countries have now been finalized, allowing for the issuance of E-2 investor visas to Israel citizens starting in May.

The E-2 investor visa is available to citizens of qualifying countries who are actively engaged in the development and direction of a United States enterprise. In order to qualify for the E-2 visa, the foreign investor must have already invested, or be in the process of investing, a substantial amount of capital into the United States company. Although the list of qualifying nations for the E-2 visa includes over 70 countries, that list did not include Israel – until now. Continue reading “The United States Finalizes Its Welcome Notice to Israeli Investors: E-2 Visas Available in May”

My H-1B Was Rejected In The Lottery! What Now?

Close-up detail of American VISA
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By Benjamin Lau

You did everything right. You got into the best school, you got the necessary work experience, you found an employer willing to sponsor you for an H-1B visa, and you filed on April 1. However, despite all your work, your case was not selected as part of this year’s H-1B lottery. Through forces beyond your control, you are now back to square one, wondering whether you must now leave the United States.

But wait! There may still be an alternative visa option available to you within the alphabet soup of U.S. work visas. So, before throwing in the towel and packing your bags, you may want to consider the list of alternative U.S. work visa categories below. One of these alternative visas may offer you the best chance for future employment in the United States – and while the list is not conclusive, it represents the most likely options for you to secure U.S. work authorization. Continue reading “My H-1B Was Rejected In The Lottery! What Now?”