Throughout the COVID-19 crisis our employment department has kept clients informed. Below are the emails by date with the newest at the top. As we send each new update we will update this resource page so that people can review as needed.
Note: These posts are made available for general informational purposes only and none of the information provided should be considered to constitute legal advice.
In addition to our periodic blog posts on Coronavirus related news, DPF has compiled a list of Coronavirus resources, including those specifically aimed at the alcohol beverage and hospitality industries, that may be of interest to our clients.
U.S. Department of Treasury’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) Coronavirus Specific Information (updated 3/30/2020):https://www.ttb.gov/coronavirus
Note that regional trade associations are also providing their members with significant helpful information regarding the Coronavirus outbreak and regulatory response.
HOSPITALITY, TOURISM AND TRAVEL INDUSTRY RESOURCES
IRS new tax form, Form 7200, that can be used to request the advance tax credits under both the FFCRA and the CARES Act. The form and the draft instructions (final instructions are expected shortly), can be found here: https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-7200
NAPA/SONOMA SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER (Includes Coronavirus-specific Business Assistance Webinars and Small business “survival guide”): https://www.napasonomasbdc.org/covid-19
HEALTH SERVICES RESOURCES
For the latest information about the coronavirus in Sonoma County and advice from health experts on prevention and care, call 2-1-1, text your zip code to 898-211 or visit (copy/paste) https://socoemergency.org/
For the latest information about the coronavirus in Napa County visit https://www.countyofnapa.org/2739/Coronavirus. You may also call Napa County’s information line at (707) 253-4540 (Monday – Friday, from 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 5pm).
On July 25, 2015, DP&F Senior Intellectual Property Counsel Chris Passarelli gave a Continuing Legal Education (CLE) presentation entitled “Trade Secret Law in the Agricultural Industries at the 2015 Regional Conference of the American Agricultural Law Association before members of the California State Bar’s Agribusiness Law Standing Committee, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the Cal Farm Bureau Federation and ag practitioners from across the country.
DP&F Senior Alcohol Beverage Counsel Bahaneh Hobel gave a presentation on Wine Law Basics at the CalCPA Wine Industry Conference which took place in the Napa Valley on December 8, 2014.
DP&F Senior Intellectual Property Counsel Chris Passarelli gave a presentation on the Trademark Clearinghouse & Geographical Indications in the New gTLD Program as Chair of The Seminar Group’s I.P., Food & Wine Seminar which took place in the Napa Valley, October 16-17, 2014.
Presentation available here:
Faculty consisted of noted food and beverage industry experts, including:
Wendell Lee, General Counsel and Information Technology Officer, Wine Institute; Matthew D. Botting, General Counsel with the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control; Stephen Meyer, Co-Chair of the Food and Agriculture Practice at Downey Brand; and Scott Gerien, Managing Partner and Chair of the Intellectual Property Practice Group at Dickenson, Peatman & Fogarty.
The program qualified for 12.5 hours of MCLE, including 1.0 hour of Substance Abuse credit.
For more information regarding the Trademark Clearinghouse, Internet domains, brand protection and enforcement matters, contact Chris Passarelli.
The Legal Complexities of Unauthorized Dealers, Grey Market and Parallel Importation
Chris Passarelli recently presented a continuing legal education (CLE) program at the State Bar of California 87th Annual Meeting in San Diego on behalf of the Business Law Section. Attached are the written materials for that program.
Contact Chris Passarelli for any inquiries related to strategic enforcement in the online auction, distribution and supply chain integrity, grey market, parallel importation and counterfeiting context.
Don’t forget to check out Chris Passarelli and Scott Gerien’s recent continuing legal education (CLE) presentation for the Business Law Section of the California State Bar, entitled, “2014 Hot Topics: Domain Enforcement and Brand Protection: The Rise of gTLDs” originally presented via webinar on July 17, 2014.
This program qualifies for 1 hour of general MCLE credit, courtesy of the State Bar of California. The recorded version is now available for purchase on the State Bar’s online CLE Catalog.
A copy of the presentation materials is available here.
The introduction of new generic Top Level Domains (“gTLD’s”), such as .wine and .cocacola, has created an environment which presents challenges for the protection of brands worldwide. Literally thousands of new gTLDs are emerging at this time, with a corresponding increase in expense to brand owners, who must monitor and enforce trademark rights against third parties filing the new domains. This program explores aspects of the gTLD rollout of importance to brand owners, including new and old enforcement mechanisms and the newly-established Trademark Clearinghouse intended to facilitate protection of established brands, and looks at some of the peculiar challenges faced by Geographical Indication interests, and in particular – the wine industry.
*Also be on the lookout for Chris Passarelli’s upcoming feature article on ICANN’s introduction of new top-level domains, including the controversial <.wine> domain, as part of the New gTLD Program, entitled: “Meet the new digital frontier: .wine” to be featured in the September 2014 edition of Practical Winery & Vineyard Management.
Drafting Easements Agreements – Practical Considerations and Potential Pitfalls
Paul Carey, a partner in the Litigation department presented on the practical considerations and potential pitfalls of drafting easements in an online webinar designed to educate the legal community.
DP&F’s co-managing partner, Greg Walsh, presented on current employment law issues to members of the Napa/Sonoma Chapter of Women for Wine Sense, an organization for wine industry professionals and enthusiasts.
In Fall 2013, DP&F’s Katja Loeffelholz was a guest lecturer at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s new Wine and Viticulture program on “Protecting Your Intellectual Property Assets in the Wine Industry” which reviewed the various aspects of wine labels and packaging that can be trademarked, copyrighted and patented. Ms. Loeffelholz also presented detailed information on protecting trademarks abroad, focusing on protecting wine brands in China. Her presentation can be found through the links below.
