Firefly Petunia: A Glow in the Dark Plant By Brian D. Keppler, Ph.D. Plants that glow in the dark, once only in the realm of science fiction, are now set to become a reality for all with the introduction of the Firefly Petunia from Light Bio. The science behind these glowing plants, first detailed in a 2020 publication in Nature Biotechnology, utilizes a bioluminescence pathway from Neonothopanus nambi […] Continue Reading →
The Game-Changing Golf Bag Stand: A Catalyst for Business Deal Making By Jacob S. Blackford Did you know that the original patent for a golf bag stand was issued to inventor Talbert Dick in 1928? Talbert would go on to be the founder of the firm that today is known as McKee, Voorhees & Sease, PLC. In the realm of business, where every handshake counts and every meeting holds potential […] Continue Reading →
Copyleft or Copyright: Exploring Copyright Protections of Memes By Ashley E. Holland Memes have been ubiquitous with internet culture for decades now. In the context of the internet, memes often take the form of images, videos, phrases, or concepts that are shared and remixed by users. They can be humorous, satirical, or convey a particular message or emotion. Memes often are best at communicating a shared experience […] Continue Reading →
The BIRDIE Act: Copyrights for Golf Courses By Kirk M. Hartung The Bolstering Intellectual Rights against Digital Infringement Enhancement (a.k.a. the BIRDIE Act) is a non-partisan bill introduced by Congressmen Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Jimmy Panetta (D-Ca) on February 5, 2024 to provide copyright protection for architectural designs of golf courses. The bill proposes to amend the copyright laws by amending the definition of “architectural works” […] Continue Reading →
Small business owner? Prepare for compliance with new “wise but unconstitutional” Corporate Transparency Act By Cassie J. Edgar Attention Small Business Owners: The enactment of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) marks a significant shift in the regulatory landscape for businesses across the United States. This pivotal piece of legislation, primarily aimed at combating financial deception such as money laundering and tax evasion, requires a clear disclosure of beneficial ownership information to the Financial […] Continue Reading →
Women in Law – MVS Leads the Way! By Jill N. Link, Pharm.D. March 8th is International Women’s Day. This day is meant to both celebrate women’s achievements while raising awareness about challenges faced by women and taking action to drive gender parity. At McKee Voorhees and Sease (MVS) we are always eager to recognize the achievements of women – the inventors and creators we proudly represent, the […] Continue Reading →
European Parliament proposals, the good and the ban……….. By Heidi Sease Nebel The European parliament has been busy in the area of plants lately. I was excited to learn of the relaxation of the regulation of plants produced by “New Genetic Techniques” at the recent ASTA meeting in Monterey California. Today, I learned of a more disappointing development, the vote of a complete ban on patenting of […] Continue Reading →
Exciting News from the USDA Announced Today for US Plant Breeders By Heidi Sease Nebel The United States’ implementation of UPOV’s Plant Breeders Rights is singularly unique in the world, in that it does not require field trials and testing results. An applicant’s representations as to Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability, are accepted without confirmation in a US application for Plant Breeders Rights, or PVP. When filing for analogous Plant Breeders […] Continue Reading →
Cool Iowa Products Competition By Kirk M. Hartung COOLEST THINGS MADE IN IOWA MVS is celebrating our 100 year anniversary, and Iowa inventors have been making great inventions in a wide variety of technologies and industries for all of these decades. Some examples of Iowa related inventions that changed the world include the first gasoline powered tractor invented in Waterloo by John Froelich […] Continue Reading →
McKee, Voorhees & Sease, PLC (MVS) Celebrates its 100th Anniversary in 2024 By Richard Marsolais The Firm started in July 1924 when Talbert Dick began his patent law practice at the Hippee Building (now known as the Surety Hotel) in downtown Des Moines. After his service as a World War I pilot, he chose to live and practice law in Des Moines. This patent law practice grew because of Dick’s […] Continue Reading →