With federal trademarks off table, state pot trademarks solid alternative

Intellectual Property

By Christopher W. Niro and Kristina D. Diesner

Christopher W. Niro is a member at Aronberg Goldgehn where he focuses his practice on intellectual property litigation, prosecution and other business affairs, including brand management and portfolio development. He can be reached at cniro@agdglaw.com. Kristina D. Diesner is an associate at Aronberg Goldgehn where she focuses her practice primarily on intellectual property law litigation and prosecution. She can be reached at kdiesner@agdglaw.com.

Posted March 3, 2020 3:04 PM

On Jan. 1, Illinois became the 11th jurisdiction where marijuana can be sold legally for recreational use, in additional to medical use. The Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act legalizes and regulates the production, consumption and sale of cannabis in Illinois.Illinois growers and distributors should seek the protection for their unique brands of cannabis and retail establishments selling those items. However, due to the federal classification of cannabis as a narcotic, federal trademark registration is out of reach for the …

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