Page Vault Resources

When “Dupes” Turn Into Lawsuits: What Smucker, Lululemon & Aldi Reveal About IP Battles in 2025

Last Updated November 2025

Private-label design has moved from harmless imitation to legally actionable mimicry and courts are taking notice. According to the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA), U.S. store-brand sales grew 3.9% last year to a record $271 billion, signaling a structural shift in consumer behavior — and a growing threat to manufacturers with well-established brand equity.

This shift has corresponded with an observable uptick in trademark litigation that includes trade dress allegations. Commentators note that courts are increasingly entertaining trade dress claims — a trend that signals brand owners are treating trade dress as a regular component of their enforcement strategies. Although trade dress filings make up a smaller percentage of overall trademark cases, courts are seeing an increasing number of disputes centered on product design, packaging, and overall look-and-feel, particularly in actions involving private-label or “lookalike” goods.

The result? Retailers are pushing design boundaries, national brands are drawing firmer lines, and courts are increasingly tasked with determining where “inspiration” becomes “infringement.”

Social Media Collections Guide: X

Last Updated November 2025

When tasked with gathering all the information from a party's X profile, where should you begin?

[Webinar] Leveraging Web & Social Evidence in Modern E-Discovery

Last Updated November 2025

Litigation no longer stops at emails and custodial data. The most revealing facts often live online — in social posts, websites, videos, and e-commerce listings that can change or disappear overnight.

In a recent webinar hosted by the Association of eDiscovery (ACEDS) and Page Vault, two leading voices in legal technology shared how their firms are tackling these challenges head-on: Shannon Bales, Senior Litigation Support Manager at Munger Tolles & Olson, and Warren Singh, Manager of Practice Support and eDiscovery at Latham & Watkins.

Together, they offered an insider look at how large law firms are building defensible, scalable programs for capturing and authenticating web and social media evidence — while balancing risk, ethics, and efficiency.

The conversation, moderated by Alex Sappington, Co-CEO of Page Vault, revealed practical insights every litigation support or eDiscovery professional can apply right now to strengthen their online evidence workflows.

When Screenshots Fail and Authentication Wins: Modern Case Law on Online Evidence found using Minerva26

Last Updated November 2025

Courts today are drawing sharper lines around how online evidence must be collected and authenticated. In disputes spanning trademark, criminal, and civil litigation, screenshots alone rarely suffice. Judges increasingly expect digital evidence to be backed by metadata, certification, or testimony linking it to its source. By leveraging Minerva26, we located recent cases that confirm this approach in practice.

Adapting to USPTO Rule Changes in 2025: What Trademark Practitioners Need to Know

Last Updated November 2025

The practice of trademark prosecution has always required precision, but the changes that took effect at the USPTO in January 2025 decisively changed how that precision is measured. The retirement of the long-familiar TEAS Plus and TEAS Standard filing options, the rollout of the new Trademark Center, the introduction of significant surcharges for incomplete or inefficient applications, and the continued tightening of specimen standards together mark a new era for practitioners.

When Online Evidence Holds Up in IP Cases

Last Updated November 2025

From sneakers and coffee pods to mobile apps and even fake magazine covers, intellectual property (IP) disputes increasingly turn on what happens online. Product listings, social media promotions, and digital ads often become central to claims of trademark infringement, false advertising, or unfair competition.