First Day of Class

Reading and assignments for the first day:

THIS IS MANDATORY.

YOU MAY NOT AMEND THE TERMS IN ANY MANNER WITHOUT SPEAKING TO ME FIRST. DOING SO WILL BE CONSIDERED TO BE AN HONOR CODE VIOLATION AND WILL BE REFERRED AS SUCH.

FAILURE TO COMPLETE THIS BY THE BEGINNING OF THE FIRST CLASS WILL RESULT IN A REDUCTION OF YOUR FINAL GRADE IN THE COURSE BY 5 POINTS.

FAILURE TO COMPLETE BY THE BEGINNING OF THE SECOND CLASS WILL RESULT IN A REDUCTION OF YOUR FINAL GRADE IN THE COURSE BY 25 POINTS.

Part One

1. Read all of the materials on this blog.
2. Pay special attention to my Class Policies and Grading Policies
3. Optional Reading – I use the wordpress blog platform to deliver materials to you, and to foster online class participation. If you took my Entertainment Law class or Sports Law Class, you are already familiar with the format. If you did not, you would do yourself a service by taking a good look at the Sports Law site, as it reflects the latest evolution in my class blog technology. The format for this class will be similar to that one.
4. Register for a WordPress account so that you can comment on the blog. I am not technical support, and “it won’t let me register” is not only untrue, but a total cop-out. You graduated from college. You took the LSAT. You made it through at least a year of law school. That means that you have already proven that you possess the intelligence required to register for a wordpress account.
5. Repeat after me: When I post to the blog, I will place my name on each post.
6. Repeat after me: I will check the class blog on a daily basis for updated reading, class assignments, and other class news. Anything posted before noon the day of class is fair game for class that day.
7. Repeat after me: When I wish to email Prof. Randazza, I will use the contact form. (This is the only way you will beat my spam filters).

Part Two: Place a comment on this blog entry stating:

1. I (insert your name here) have read all of the Trademark Law course blog.
2. I (insert your name here) have read the following:
   1. General Class Policies
   2. General Grading Policies
   3. Class Specific Class Policies
   4. Class Specific Grading Policies
   5. The School’s Honor Code
3. I (insert your name here) understand and consent to these policies in full.
4. When I (insert your name here) post to the blog, I will place my name on each post, and I understand that failing to do so will result in no credit being granted for that particular post, no matter how hard I worked on it.
5. I (insert your name here) will check the class blog on a daily basis for updated reading, class assignments, and other class news, and I understand that anything posted before noon the day of class is fair game for class that day.
6. I (insert your name here) understand how to use the contact form.
7. I, (insert your name here), consider myself to be hereby warned that willful false statements are a violation of the honor code.
8. I (Insert your name here) declare that I voluntarily execute this statement and that all statements made above are true and correct. I did not merely cut and paste the above in order to technically comply with the requirement, and that I have fully reviewed all Class Policies and Grading Policies and consider them to be valid and binding upon me. Signed, (Insert your name here)

YOU MAY NOT AMEND THE TERMS IN ANY MANNER WITHOUT SPEAKING TO ME FIRST. DOING SO WILL BE CONSIDERED TO BE AN HONOR CODE VIOLATION AND WILL BE REFERRED AS SUCH. YES, IF YOU LEAVE OUT A SINGLE WORD, IT IS AN HONOR CODE VIOLATION.

I understand that this may seem a little “elementary school” and maybe even a little condescending. That is not the point of it at all. The point is to make sure that you a) have taken the necessary steps to participate in class, and b) that you do not wind up surprised at the end of the semester if your grade is not what you believe it should be. I have had students lose a complete letter grade due to poor class participation and a failure to meaningfully participate on the blog. (And vice versa). I want to make sure that you are fully aware of what is expected of you and what is promised to you. Finally, by posting this, you will know that your wordpress account works.

Part Three – Substantive Reading for the First Day of Class

1. Read WIPO Overview of Trademark Law
2. Read Dope Stamps Article
3. Read Patent Bar v. Trademark Bar.