Cathay Smith
@cathaysmith.bsky.social
IP prof at Chicago-Kent. Teaching copyright, property, and IP + cultural property law seminar.
Reposted by Cathay Smith
All too often, it feels like law students think "the law" is a settled thing that profs can simply relay to them. But it's not. Especially in IP it's not. It's constantly changing and evolving.
December 11, 2025 at 2:54 PM
All too often, it feels like law students think "the law" is a settled thing that profs can simply relay to them. But it's not. Especially in IP it's not. It's constantly changing and evolving.
Reposted by Cathay Smith
🔥 BREAKING: A spokesperson for Kids Can Press, the publisher of the Franklin the Turtle books, messaged me today about Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth using the likeness and image from the books to make light of killings in the Caribbean in his post yesterday on X.
December 2, 2025 at 12:16 AM
🔥 BREAKING: A spokesperson for Kids Can Press, the publisher of the Franklin the Turtle books, messaged me today about Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth using the likeness and image from the books to make light of killings in the Caribbean in his post yesterday on X.
Reposted by Cathay Smith
"In a November 2025 guidance, new USPTO Director John Squires has rejected the Vidal approach and instead established a 'don't ask, don't tell' policy for AI-assisted inventions creates a presumption of human inventorship so long as any natural person is willing to sign the oath."
USPTO's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Policy: The Quiet Death of Thaler and the Legal Fiction of Human Inventorship
USPTO Creates a Legal Fiction of Human Inventorship, Undermining Thaler.
patentlyo.com
December 1, 2025 at 1:43 PM
"In a November 2025 guidance, new USPTO Director John Squires has rejected the Vidal approach and instead established a 'don't ask, don't tell' policy for AI-assisted inventions creates a presumption of human inventorship so long as any natural person is willing to sign the oath."
I just wrote “death becomes copyright” and “Aristotle, blah blah blah” in the same paper, which is probabky a sign that it’s time for me to take a short break 😅
November 21, 2025 at 5:53 PM
I just wrote “death becomes copyright” and “Aristotle, blah blah blah” in the same paper, which is probabky a sign that it’s time for me to take a short break 😅
Reposted by Cathay Smith
"The artist Anish Kapoor is considering taking legal action after border patrol agents posed for a photo in front of his Cloud Gate sculpture in Chicago, saying the scene represented 'fascist America.'"
‘This is fascist America’: Anish Kapoor may sue after border agents pose by his sculpture
Artist says ‘military style’ raids in US are ‘beyond belief’ while discussing new Southbank show next year
www.theguardian.com
November 15, 2025 at 2:15 PM
"The artist Anish Kapoor is considering taking legal action after border patrol agents posed for a photo in front of his Cloud Gate sculpture in Chicago, saying the scene represented 'fascist America.'"
Reposted by Cathay Smith
NEW: The US has deported a longtime Oregon firefighter who was arrested by Border Patrol while deployed at a major wildfire in Washington state.
José Bertin Cruz-Estrada, separated from his family, is speaking out from Mexico for the first time:
“I feel betrayed ... What am I going to do now?"
José Bertin Cruz-Estrada, separated from his family, is speaking out from Mexico for the first time:
“I feel betrayed ... What am I going to do now?"
US firefighter detained on the job speaks out after deportation: ‘I feel betrayed’
Exclusive: Border patrol arrested José Bertin Cruz-Estrada while he was battling a wildfire in Washington. He is now in Mexico, separated from his family in Oregon
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 11:04 PM
NEW: The US has deported a longtime Oregon firefighter who was arrested by Border Patrol while deployed at a major wildfire in Washington state.
José Bertin Cruz-Estrada, separated from his family, is speaking out from Mexico for the first time:
“I feel betrayed ... What am I going to do now?"
José Bertin Cruz-Estrada, separated from his family, is speaking out from Mexico for the first time:
“I feel betrayed ... What am I going to do now?"
Reposted by Cathay Smith
Willamette is hiring for a tenure-track assistant professor of law position; there's more info at the link!
If you are on the market, I highly recommend that you apply. I've been at Willamette a few months now and absolutely love it here.
willamette.wd501.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Willam...
If you are on the market, I highly recommend that you apply. I've been at Willamette a few months now and absolutely love it here.
willamette.wd501.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Willam...
Assistant Professor of Law (Tenure Track)
ABOUT WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY: Willamette University, founded in 1842, is a nationally-renowned private university enrolling 2800 students across five colleges. Our historic campus, adjacent to the Oreg...
willamette.wd501.myworkdayjobs.com
October 14, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Willamette is hiring for a tenure-track assistant professor of law position; there's more info at the link!
If you are on the market, I highly recommend that you apply. I've been at Willamette a few months now and absolutely love it here.
willamette.wd501.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Willam...
If you are on the market, I highly recommend that you apply. I've been at Willamette a few months now and absolutely love it here.
willamette.wd501.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Willam...
Reposted by Cathay Smith
Please join me in congratulating Woman on her appointment
Woman named as new Archbishop of Canterbury in historic first
Woman named as new Archbishop of Canterbury in historic first
Bishop of London Dame Sarah Mullally, a former nurse, has been named as the next Archbishop of Canterbury - the first time a woman has been appointed to the role in the Church of England's history.
news.sky.com
October 3, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Please join me in congratulating Woman on her appointment
Reposted by Cathay Smith
IP Law Profs: Check your email inboxes for an invitation (via IPProfs) to the 2025 Chicagoland IP Workshop, which will be held at Chicago-Kent on December 5. We hope you can join us!
October 1, 2025 at 5:27 PM
IP Law Profs: Check your email inboxes for an invitation (via IPProfs) to the 2025 Chicagoland IP Workshop, which will be held at Chicago-Kent on December 5. We hope you can join us!
Reposted by Cathay Smith
ICE boats trawling the Chicago River. This is the DUMBEST thing I've seen in my entire life. No exaggeration. What's next? Humvees loaded with armed, masked agents patrolling Disney's Main Street U.S.A.?
#Chicago
#Chicago
September 28, 2025 at 12:26 AM
ICE boats trawling the Chicago River. This is the DUMBEST thing I've seen in my entire life. No exaggeration. What's next? Humvees loaded with armed, masked agents patrolling Disney's Main Street U.S.A.?
#Chicago
#Chicago
Reposted by Cathay Smith
Transformative work of the day, I would love to get back to IP law edition
September 20, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Transformative work of the day, I would love to get back to IP law edition
Reposted by Cathay Smith
Beautiful sunny weekend in Chicago. Block parties with families, farmer markets with adorable dogs (and their humans🐶), and free world-class opera in the park. I am so lucky to live in this City. ❤️ #Chicago
September 7, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Beautiful sunny weekend in Chicago. Block parties with families, farmer markets with adorable dogs (and their humans🐶), and free world-class opera in the park. I am so lucky to live in this City. ❤️ #Chicago
Reposted by Cathay Smith
Thinking a bit this morning about the idea of utility and legal scholarship. We often hear that our work is not "useful to the bar," but what exactly does that mean? Useful to who? And when? And for what purpose?
September 4, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Thinking a bit this morning about the idea of utility and legal scholarship. We often hear that our work is not "useful to the bar," but what exactly does that mean? Useful to who? And when? And for what purpose?
Reposted by Cathay Smith
Enjoyed talking to @aanteau.bsky.social about Judge Kness' big #ScheduleA decision:
A Tipping Point? Frustrations With IP Infringement Filings Are Mounting in Chicago Federal Court | Law.com
“It’s difficult for a judge to say, ‘I did it wrong and my colleagues are doing it wrong, and I’m going to call everybody out, including myself,'" said IP law professor Eric Goldman.
www.law.com
August 18, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Enjoyed talking to @aanteau.bsky.social about Judge Kness' big #ScheduleA decision:
Reposted by Cathay Smith
Honored to have my work cited by Judge Kness in a decision that concludes:
"[T]he Schedule A mechanism should no longer be perpetuated in its present form."
Eicher Motors Ltd, v. Schedule A, Defendants., No. 1:25-CV-02937, 2025 WL 2299593, at *1 (N.D. Ill. Aug. 8, 2025). #ScheduleA
"[T]he Schedule A mechanism should no longer be perpetuated in its present form."
Eicher Motors Ltd, v. Schedule A, Defendants., No. 1:25-CV-02937, 2025 WL 2299593, at *1 (N.D. Ill. Aug. 8, 2025). #ScheduleA
storage.courtlistener.com
August 11, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Honored to have my work cited by Judge Kness in a decision that concludes:
"[T]he Schedule A mechanism should no longer be perpetuated in its present form."
Eicher Motors Ltd, v. Schedule A, Defendants., No. 1:25-CV-02937, 2025 WL 2299593, at *1 (N.D. Ill. Aug. 8, 2025). #ScheduleA
"[T]he Schedule A mechanism should no longer be perpetuated in its present form."
Eicher Motors Ltd, v. Schedule A, Defendants., No. 1:25-CV-02937, 2025 WL 2299593, at *1 (N.D. Ill. Aug. 8, 2025). #ScheduleA
🤓 Slightly diminish a band:
Some Doubt
Some Doubt
🤣 Slightly diminish a band:
Mesodeth
Mesodeth
August 13, 2025 at 3:04 PM
🤓 Slightly diminish a band:
Some Doubt
Some Doubt
Reposted by Cathay Smith
What's going on in the world of dupes, & how do these rapid-fire copies interact with the law?
Fascinating @theverge.com piece with great quotes & analysis from two top experts: @lexlanham.bsky.social & @design-law.bsky.social
www.theverge.com/cs/features/...
#dupes #academia #fashion
Fascinating @theverge.com piece with great quotes & analysis from two top experts: @lexlanham.bsky.social & @design-law.bsky.social
www.theverge.com/cs/features/...
#dupes #academia #fashion
How dupes turned online shopping upside down
When everything is the same, who gets to claim ownership over ideas?
www.theverge.com
July 23, 2025 at 10:15 AM
What's going on in the world of dupes, & how do these rapid-fire copies interact with the law?
Fascinating @theverge.com piece with great quotes & analysis from two top experts: @lexlanham.bsky.social & @design-law.bsky.social
www.theverge.com/cs/features/...
#dupes #academia #fashion
Fascinating @theverge.com piece with great quotes & analysis from two top experts: @lexlanham.bsky.social & @design-law.bsky.social
www.theverge.com/cs/features/...
#dupes #academia #fashion
Reposted by Cathay Smith
June 15, 2025 at 5:33 AM
Reposted by Cathay Smith
Reposted by Cathay Smith
BREAKING: In a 6–1 decision, the Montana Supreme Court strikes down several abortion restrictions passed by the state legislature.
Opinion: juddocumentservice.mt.gov/getDocByCTra...
Opinion: juddocumentservice.mt.gov/getDocByCTra...
June 9, 2025 at 10:57 PM
BREAKING: In a 6–1 decision, the Montana Supreme Court strikes down several abortion restrictions passed by the state legislature.
Opinion: juddocumentservice.mt.gov/getDocByCTra...
Opinion: juddocumentservice.mt.gov/getDocByCTra...
Reposted by Cathay Smith
Here's our exciting line-up:
June 6, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Here's our exciting line-up: