The company has officially trademarked the sound of its lighter being flicked open and sparked in the US. It is planning to to file for similar intellectual property protection in the European Union, ...

Your Zippo lighter's been sitting in your pocket, ready for action, but when you flick it open—nothing. Bone dry. What's the deal? Zippos are tough as nails, but they need some care to stay reliable.

WTR sat down with Beth Seals, general counsel at Zippo, to get the inside track on how her team ensures that the company’s products have real-world legal protections – and how these are brandished to ...