Saturday, November 15, 2014

你为什么要注册商标?


当客户对你的产品和服务很满意的时候,你希望他们不知道如何在推荐你的产品和服务的时候不知道如何称呼它们吗?你希望你的产品有如此独特的名称,人们提起来朗朗上口?这就像每个人都必须有一个名字一样,每个产品和服务也必须有一个名称。这个名称就叫做商标。
有人和你同名同姓不是什么问题。 但一个平平凡凡的产品和服务用一个成功的品牌名称可能意味着巨额的利润得失。想象一下,如果有人可以打苹果的品牌销售他自己生产的电脑,他可以有多么富有?不仅如此,如果有人生产打印机,并以苹果的牌子销售,他可以不付吹灰之力成为百万,千万甚至亿万富翁。
因此,在你进行推广之前很必要搜索注册商标。

保障你的权益的方式之一就是在美国专利商标局(USPTO)注册商标。通过注册,知会全国你的商标拥有权,如果有人侵权,你有权利索赔。请注意,你只在你的产品种类或法院或专利局认为你可能经营的产品收到侵害时受到保护。 另外,值得指出的是,如果你注册了商标但又一直没有用,你也失去了阻止别人使用这个商标的权利。 

WHY DO YOU BOTHER TO REGISTER TRADEMARK?

WHY DO YOU BOTHER TO REGISTER TRADEMARK?

When customers are satisfied with your product and services, do you want them refer them to other customers without difficulty in naming your products and services? Do you want your products and services to be identified by such a unique slogan that customers have no problem remembering them? It is like everybody has to have a name, each product and service must also have a name. This name is called trademark. 

It may not be a big deal when somebody happens to have the same name with you, but sharing a successful name brands could mean great deal of profit loss or unlawful gain. Imagine somebody other than Apple Computer sells his computer under the brand name of Apple now, if it is lawful, how rich he can be?  

Therefore, it can’t be overly emphasized how important it is to conduct search of trademark and register trademark before you start promoting them. 

One way to protect your rights is to federally register your name with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Your registration places the rest of the country on notice that you are the owner and it provides you with special rights to go after those who copy your mark. Note, your rights extend only to the class of goods or services which you offer as well as to those goods or services that a court or the USPTO might consider that you are likely to offer. However, it is worthy to point out that a business that claims to own a trademark cannot stop others from using the same or a similar trademark unless it is actively using the trademark.


Friday, November 7, 2014

需要签订婚前协议的另一个原因

很多人都打电话来希望订立婚前协议。 但他们普遍以为婚前财产协议可以一两行字解决,只需要明示双方婚前财产在离婚时的所有权。  然而,他们没有意识的是,在没有婚前或婚后财产协议的前提下,如果一方不幸去世,各州的婚姻法给予另一半很多财产权利。 

这些权利之一是已故配偶的主要住宅的产权。未亡的配偶有权要么住在已故配偶的主要住宅直到她去世, 或者选择继承主要住宅的1/2产权。 

此外,根据法律规定,未亡配偶可以选择接收亡偶的某些资产的百分之三十(30%),包括房地产,现金,有价证券,可撤销信托资产,有些不可撤销的信托资产,人寿保险,养老保险和退休计划。这些份额是额外于主要住宅的产权。 


基于上面的分析,婚前或婚后的财产协议是非常重要的。 一方面,它保护离婚时候配偶在的财产权,而在另一方面,它保护配偶子女和其他家庭成员的权利。 如果未亡配偶在协议中明文放弃他或她就主要住宅,选择性财产分配权, 亡偶的遗书才有真正的意义。 

Another reason you need a prenuptial agreement or postnuptial agreement


Many people have called to express their willingness to enter into a prenuptial agreement but assume all they need to mention in their agreement is ownership of  the personal assets they have prior to marriage. However, what they fail to realize is that State family law gives rights to personal property of the other spouse just by virtue of the fact that they have walked down the aisle unless the surviving spouse expressly waive them in an agreement. 

What are these rights?

One of these rights is the right to an interest in the deceased spouse’s homestead property. A surviving spouse is entitled either to the right to live in the deceased spouse’s homestead for his or her life  or to an undivided one half (1/2) interest in the deceased spouse’s homestead, even if the surviving spouse does not own an interest in the homestead property. 
In addition, by law, the surviving spouse can elect to receive thirty percent (30%) of all of the deceased spouse’s assets, including real estate, cash, securities, revocable trust assets, some irrevocable trust assets, life insurance policies, pension and retirement plans. The elective share is in addition to the surviving spouse’s right to the deceased spouse’s homestead property. 


With these being said, prenuptial or postnuptial agreement is on one hand to protect a spouse’s property right at time of divorce, and on the other hand to protect children and other family members’ right to estate property. If the surviving spouse waives his or her right to homestead property and elective share in such an agreement, the deceased spouse may legally devise his or her assets to whomever he or she chooses without limitation.

什么情况下有了麻烦后还能留在美国
很多人来电和Email, 咨询他们在有了违法的记录后, 甚至有了驱逐令后还能不能留在美国。 答案是, 这要看情况。以下是解释。
不是所有的人都可以自如地出入美国。 只有满足一定的法律条件后,你才会得到签证或绿卡。 如果你在你的国家或在美国犯下某些罪行,你将被视为不可以进入美国的人。 然而,在某些情况下,美国政府愿意不计较你的有污点的历史,仍然允许你进入。这就是所谓的Waiver, 一种原谅。 
当然,这种原谅不是政府会主动给你的。你必须申请,而且有足够的有说服力的证据证明你的处境, 才可能。 不过,如果犯的罪是谋杀,残酷折磨,重罪,洗钱或贩毒等,你无论如何都不会得到这种原谅。

一般来说,为了获得原谅,申请人需要证明如果他们不能在美国,他(她)的美国公民或绿卡家属生活会极度困难。 注意,美国移民法没有定义什么样的困难是极度困难。 审查你的申请的官员有很广的自由裁量权。还有,单纯的分离是不能构成极度困难。每个申请都是不一样的。 这就是为什么一定要让有经验的移民律师花时间认识和了解你的家庭。只有通过信任和理解,移民律师才可以帮你提出最有说服力的理由。 

What is immigration waiver


Many people have called or written to ask whether they can stay in U.S after they were in trouble with laws, even after they have had a deportation order. The answer is as always, it depends. Here is why. 
You must meet certain requirements of laws if you want to enter the U.S. to live, work or study.    If you committed certain crimes in your home country or in the U.S. you will be considered not qualified, or in legal term,  inadmissible. However, under certain circumstances, US government is willing to overlook your bad history and still allow you to enter. This is called a waiver. 
Of course, the waiver is not given automatically and you have to apply for with preponderance of evidence that you are worthy. Nevertheless, if your crime(s) are murder, torture, aggravated felonies, money laundering or for violations of any other law regarding controlled substances (including trafficking), no waiver will be given to you regardless. 
Generally, most applicants will need to show extreme hardship to a U.S. citizen or LPR family member. Note,  the INA does not define extreme hardship and the officer reviewing your case has broad discretion in deciding whether your qualifying relative’s circumstances constitute extreme hardship. Mere separation is not enough to show extreme hardship. Every case is unique and this is why it is important to have an immigration attorney that will take the time to know and understand your family. It is only through a relationship of trust and understanding that the best arguments can be made in your waiver application.