May I advertise that my literary creation is "inspired" by a piece of literature that's still in the public realm?

No, this is not the same thing as say a fragrance where you often see "Inspired by Chanel #5." Here, you have two concerns. One is that you are...

Selected as the best answer

As noted, the issue will be how to verify the identity of parties should the contract need to be enforced. The best remedy would be to note both a...

You refer to it as a clan, this could indicate that your use is more narrowly defined as a collective or membership trademark. So long as the mark...

As noted, this can be very problematic. Your use might be violating their right of privacy and publicity, which are state governed laws that vary....

Can I "sample" another company's trademark?

In most cases, where the goods and services are very different this would not be a problem. But the more widely recognized the mark the stronger...

As noted, while it does not have to be a problem it is probably not a good idea. If an artist is making a serious investment then they should...

The short answer is yes. You are free to take a Gap t-shirt for example contribute your own artistic, creative elements to that the resell it. What...

Before you invest in any trademark make sure you get some legal guidance upfront. It is of course best practice to clear it before you start using...

Can a band oppose a trademark for their name they had originally during a trademark's opposition period?

If your band continued to use the name then it established rights, presumably, under common law. So this new registrant cannot force the band to...

Is it legal for me to start a consulting business that uses the maker of the products company website as a reference?

There is no issue with what you describe here. You would need to make sure you do not present a false association, sponsorship, endorsement or...