News

A modern take on the traditional spider bucket, Design Patent D1,096,494 — SPIDEWEB LED BUCKET, granted on October 7, 2025 — demonstrates how a simple concept can be reimagined through creative design. The familiar silhouette of the spider bucket is enhanced with a web-inspired motif and integrated LED lighting, blending function with visual appeal in a way that feels both modern and inventive.

The SPIDEWEB LED BUCKET exemplifies how design innovation doesn’t always require reinventing the wheel — sometimes, it’s about rethinking the details. The illuminated web pattern not only adds aesthetic intrigue but also serves a practical purpose, improving visibility and usability in low-light environments. This thoughtful approach transforms an everyday utility item into a statement piece, highlighting how design can elevate the ordinary.

From an intellectual property standpoint, the design patent protects the bucket’s distinctive ornamental features, safeguarding the creator’s unique expression of form. Developing and securing design patents can help brands and businesses distinguish their products in crowded markets, ensuring that innovation in style and functionality is recognized — and protected.

McCoy Russell has a specialty design practice that makes use of both in-house drawing specialists and trusted drafts teams to support its clients’ in obtaining protections for their unique designs.

The USPTO has welcomed John Squires as the new Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. In this role, he will work with colleagues to help shape intellectual property policy, foster innovation, and strengthen U.S. competitiveness on the global stage.

As a long-time practitioner and strong supporter of the patent system, Mr. Squires experience and perspective will impact the USPTO in ways that we hope will better support inventors, businesses, and all who rely on the patent and trademark system.

McCoy Russell continues to stay on top of shifts and policy changes at the USPTO to help innovators, businesses, and brands secure strong protection for their ideas and position themselves for success.

I ordered a salmon dish at a restaurant yesterday, and didn’t think twice about it being identified on the menu as “wildtype” as opposed to “wild caught” until after the meal, when the waitress handed me a card notifying me that I was among the first to try Wildtype cell cultivated salmon. That certainly piqued my interest, so I did some research on the process explained on the Wildtype website. In short, living cells are extracted from Pacific salmon, and cultivated under specific conditions (temperature, pH, nutrients, etc.). Once proliferated, the cells are harvested and combined with plant based ingredients in order to mimic the properties of natural salmon fish fillets.

The synthesized salmon does not taste exactly like natural salmon, however, benefits such as a lack of toxins found in wild caught and farm-raised salmon may outweigh the slightly different experience. Further, reducing prevalence of fishing and farming could have a positive impact on the environment. Although the nutritional profile does not quite match natural salmon fillets yet, the potential is promising as a possibly normalized salmon alternative. At the least, the future of food synthesis industries will be interesting to watch unfold as these potentially environmentally friendly alternatives seem to rapidly become more popular.

As companies like Wildtype push the boundaries of food innovation, the role of intellectual property becomes central. Protecting breakthrough processes, unique branding, and proprietary technologies is not just about safeguarding inventions—it’s about building long-term value and competitive advantage.

McCoy Russell recognizes that for businesses, clients, and brands entering emerging industries, developing a strong IP portfolio with the guidance of professionals ensures that investments in research, development, and market positioning are fully protected. A well-structured IP strategy can open doors to partnerships, attract investors, and secure a company’s place in a rapidly evolving marketplace. Contact us if we can be of assistance.

The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) has revised the Design Examination Guidelines which went into effect on June 16, 2025. McCoy Russell shares the following updates.

• Similarity Evaluation Between Entire and Partial Designs
  KIPO has revised its examination standard to correct the prior practice of automatically deeming partial designs dissimilar to full designs, regardless of actual visual similarity. Examiners must now assess similarity on a case-by-case basis, enabling more accurate evaluation and allowing related design registrations across entire and partial designs.
• Automobile Interior Design Applications
  The amendment clarifies that multiple interior components of a vehicle—when functioning together as an integrated unit—can now be registered as a single design. This resolves prior inconsistencies where some examiners required separate registrations for each component.
• Evidence Submission for Novelty Exceptions
  KIPO now allows examiners to issue a notice when an applicant claims an exception to loss of novelty but omits required evidence. This gives applicants a chance to correct the oversight, a change from previous practice where such claims were disregarded without notice.

McCoy Russell is a nationally ranked for its trademark practice and patent drafting quality and prosecution practice, and maintains an active international client base helping to build strong patent and trademark portfolios. The firm continues to monitor updates for national and international intellectual property offices to better serve clients.

McCoy Russell congratulates John Russell on his continued recognition in Chambers and Partners USA Guide 2025 for his practice in intellectual property in Oregon.

John plays an active role in developing McCoy Russell’s patent strategies, working closely with clients in developing their intellectual property portfolios. As a former inventor at Ford Motor Company, John brings a unique and practical perspective to inventors and inventing teams when it comes to developing and securing protection for novel technologies. Further, John shares his practical perspective via his blog www.mriplaw.com – a top patent law blog independently maintained by John. With over 20 years of practice, John’s legal and technical expertise continues to support and benefit clients at all sizes, from start-ups to multi-national corporations.

McCoy Russell understands the importance of regularly reviewing and updating a business’s IP portfolio and related strategy. Intellectual property assets are constantly evolving, and it is advantageous to ensure that your portfolio remains aligned with your evolving business goals and technological advancements.

By regularly reviewing your IP portfolio, you can identify any gaps or areas that may need additional protection. This proactive approach allows you to address any potential vulnerabilities before they become a problem. It also ensures that your portfolio provides comprehensive protection for your valuable intellectual property assets.

Technological advancements play a significant role in today’s business landscape. New technologies emerge, and existing ones evolve at a rapid pace. By staying up-to-date with these advancements, you can identify opportunities to enhance your IP portfolio. This may include filing new patent applications to protect innovative products or processes, or modify claims of pending applications to cover improvements or modifications.

Furthermore, reviewing and updating your IP portfolio allows you to align it with your evolving business goals. As your business expands into new markets or introduces new products or services, your IP strategy needs to adapt accordingly. By regularly assessing your portfolio, you can ensure that it supports your business objectives and provides the necessary protection in the areas that matter most to your company.

In addition to protecting your intellectual property assets, regularly reviewing and updating your portfolio and strategy can also have financial benefits. By identifying and addressing any gaps or weaknesses, you can avoid continuing with annuities or maintenance fees of applications no longer core to the business and for which infringement by competitors is unlikely or irrelevant to the business. It also allows you to optimize your IP strategy, ensuring that you are not wasting resources on unnecessary or ineffective protection.

To effectively review and update your IP portfolio, it is advisable to seek the assistance of an experienced intellectual property law firm. They can provide valuable insights and guidance, helping you identify areas that may need attention and suggesting strategies to enhance your portfolio’s protection.

McCoy Russell has the experience and expertise to provide the necessary guidance to ensure that your portfolio remains aligned with your evolving business goals and technological advancements. The firm is dedicated to providing comprehensive and tailored solutions for intellectual property needs. McCoy Russell’s expertise in IP law, combined with the understanding of the ever-changing business landscape, allows the firm to assist business’s in regularly reviewing and updating your IP portfolio effectively.

During the lifespan of a company, there is a continuous balancing of capital towards various expenses.  Two of the more consequential and frequently competing line items are advertising and patent protection.  Both can be essential to long-term success, but each serves a fundamentally different purpose – thus, what are important factors to consider to strike the right balance?

For companies in a “winner-takes-most” industry (like an Nvidia) or in a space with competitors filing a large number of patents, then a budget favoring patent protection may be preferred.  Alternatively, for companies in a service or a brand-based industry, advertising may be more important.

It can be difficult to measure the utility of a patent due to the significant time gap between filing a patent and its issue date, whereas advertising may yield a faster feedback loop.  In some instances, biasing marketing may be preferred if cash flow needs are more immediate.  However, this may hamstring long-term company growth.  Early patent filings may increase company valuations and deal leverage.  Patents may include the intrinsic benefit of providing legitimacy to a product in a crowded field.

Reverse engineering of a product may be another good reason to file a patent.  Alternatively, if a product has a secret formulation, such as Coca-Cola, it may be best to avoid public disclosure.

Regardless, both advertising and patent protection need to be executed correctly.  Miscalculated advertising campaigns can sow negative public sentiment.  Patents that are poorly drafted or narrow in scope may waste company money and open space for competitors to mimic or commercialize a competing product.  When considering developing a patent portfolio, it is important to work with a firm, such as McCoy Russell, that values client success and patent quality over financial gain. Contact us if we may be of assistance.