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Fish & Richardson

Trademark Application for French “Clothing” Unravels at the Federal Circuit

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The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit recently affirmed a denial by the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) of an application filed by fashion house Vetements Group AG for VETEMENTS for various articles of...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

I Don’t Wanna Grow Up, I’m a What Kind of Kid?  Toys R Us Takes on Vape R Us in Trademark Battle

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I don’t wanna grow up, I’m a TOYS R US kid. So, many of us grew up with this commercial jingle and it along with the brand brings back positive memories of celebrating birthdays and holidays. But what happens when a company...more

Weintraub Tobin

The Briefing: Trademark Smoked: The Fall of General Cigar’s COHIBA Registration

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After nearly 30 years of litigation, a federal court has canceled General Cigar’s U.S. trademarks for COHIBA cigars — all because of a little-known treaty and a Cuban brand once favored by Fidel Castro. What does this mean...more

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.

When Surfboards and Superstars Collide: How to Avoid a Wipeout [or Mayhem]

Pop icon Lady Gaga is no stranger to making waves, but a new lawsuit initiated by California-based surfboard company Lost International (aka Lost Surfboards), shows that even superstars can find themselves navigating choppy...more

Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani

First Sale Doctrine Limitations: Key Trademark Law Considerations for Businesses

Third-party infringers are finding new ways to sell unauthorized products and profit from doing so.  As one example, the third-party seller buys products in bulk from the product owner, receiving a cheaper rate due to bulk...more

Mayer Brown

Non-Traditional Trademarks

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In the debut episode of The Upper Brand podcast, Mayer Brown attorneys Richard Assmus, Kristine Young, and Christa Cole delve into the evolving world of non-traditional trademarks—covering everything from colors and scents to...more

Farella Braun + Martel LLP

With Trademark Claims Against Gray Market Goods, the Devil Is in the Details

When a third party purchases a manufacturer's goods intended for distribution outside of the U.S., and then imports those goods into and sells them to consumers in the U.S., the products are authentic, and so trademark...more

Stinson LLP

Penn State Victory Maintains Uneasy Status Quo in Sports Merchandising Industry

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Most major universities have developed extremely lucrative business empires by exploiting the use of their trademarks and trade dress on apparel and merchandise, among other things. They have done so on the theory that the...more

Jones Day

Gloves Off: Court Says No to Green Trademark Protection

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The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit held that the test for determining whether a word mark is generic also applies to color marks....more

Weintraub Tobin

The Briefing: Trademark Mayhem – Lady Gaga Gets Sued for Trademark Infringement

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Lady Gaga’s “Mayhem” tour has sparked legal trouble. In this episode of The Briefing, Scott Hervey and James Kachmar analyze a trademark infringement lawsuit filed by surf brand, Lost International, which claims Gaga’s use of...more

Erise IP

The Surge of Gulf of America Trademarks: A Unique Legal Landscape of Opportunities and Hurdles

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Since the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has seen a surge in trademark applications for the phrase. Seventeen new applications have been filed...more

Fish & Richardson

Trademark Owners May Play Only Zone Defense at the TTAB

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In a precedential decision invoking the “zone of natural expansion” doctrine, on March 19, 2025, the Federal Circuit upheld a decision by the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) cancelling in part registrations for...more

Offit Kurman

Trademark Registration Misconceptions: What Brand Owners Should Know

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Many business owners view trademark registration as a smart investment—and they’re right. A federal registration gives you valuable legal advantages, including nationwide priority, a presumption of ownership, and stronger...more

McDermott Will & Emery

Equity Is Neither a “Good” Nor a “Service” Under Lanham Act

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The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court’s decision that, in terms of trademark use in commerce, corporate equity is not a “good” or “service” under the Lanham Act. LegalForce RAPC Worldwide, PC...more

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.

MarkIt to Market® - July 2023

Thank you for reading the July 2023 issue of Sterne Kessler's MarkIt to Market® newsletter. This month, we continue our three-part series that closely examines ways to lose trademark rights with a discussion of genericide. We...more

Robins Kaplan LLP

Adidas Fights to Protect its Three-Stripe Mark

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Can three stripes be protected as intellectual property? That question is now before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“TTAB”). Adidas AG (“Adidas”), the German sportswear giant, instantly recognizable for its...more

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