News & Analysis as of

United States Patent and Trademark Office Trademark Application Trademark Litigation

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is an agency of the United States Department of Commerce that serves a fundamental role in the U.S. intellectual property system by issuing patents and registering trademarks.... more +
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is an agency of the United States Department of Commerce that serves a fundamental role in the U.S. intellectual property system by issuing patents and registering trademarks.    less -
DarrowEverett LLP

Trademark Rights Explained: Common Law vs. Federal Registration

DarrowEverett LLP on

Whether a business is launching a new product or rebranding an existing company, selecting a name, logo, or slogan is a crucial decision. Trademarks are powerful tools that identify the source of goods or services and protect...more

Fitch, Even, Tabin & Flannery LLP

The Federal Circuit takes on Kisses, Sunlight, and Soft Drinks

An application for a US trademark may be rejected if it is likely, when used on or in connection with the goods of the applicant, to cause confusion with another registered mark. On July 23, in Sunkist Growers, Inc. v....more

Jaburg Wilk

The Trademark Registration Process: Step-by-Step Guide

Jaburg Wilk on

Registering a trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) provides significant legal benefits, including nationwide protection and the presumption of ownership. Federal registration is a smart investment for...more

Knobbe Martens

The Federal Circuit Grounds US SPACE FORCE Trademark Application

Knobbe Martens on

IN RE THOMAS D. FOSTER, APC, - Before Moore, Prost, and Stoll. Appeal from the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Section 2(a) of the Lanham Act bars registration of a pending application for a mark that falsely...more

Knobbe Martens

Coloring Within the Lines: The Genericness Test for Color Trademarks

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IN RE: PT MEDISAFE TECHNOLOGIES - Before Prost, Clevenger, and Stark. Appeal from the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. A proposed color mark was found generic where the relevant public perceived the color to be a common...more

Fish & Richardson

Green Glove Trademark Application Gets Red Light From Federal Circuit

Fish & Richardson on

In a precedential decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit recently blessed the test used by the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) for denying registration to PT Medisafe Technologies for a...more

Farella Braun + Martel LLP

What's In a Name?: The Legal Landscape of Choosing Surnames as Trademarks

As noted in the linked article, many iconic brands, including Ford, Harley-Davidson, and JC Penney (yes, he was real), bear the surnames of their founders. These names often lend a sense of authenticity or legacy that...more

Farella Braun + Martel LLP

Trademark Applications Filed on an Intent-To-Use Basis Can Be Vulnerable To Challenge

In filing to register a trademark on an “intent-to-use” basis, the applicant must verify that it has a good faith “bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce.” 15 U.S.C. § 1051(b). Assuming there is nothing on the face...more

Fish & Richardson

No Space at the Trademark Office for US SPACE FORCE

Fish & Richardson on

In a rare precedential decision involving Section 2(a) of the Lanham Act, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit recently upheld a denial by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) of applications filed for US...more

McDermott Will & Schulte

No Green Light to Register Color Mark for Medical Gloves

Addressing for the first time the test for determining whether a color mark is generic, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit adopted the Trademark Trial & Appeal Board’s Milwaukee test as the appropriate standard,...more

ArentFox Schiff

It’s Not Easy Being Green (If You Are a Color Trademark for Medical Gloves)

ArentFox Schiff on

In refusing registration of the color green for “chloroprene medical examination gloves,” the Federal Circuit adopted — for the first time — a legal test for genericness of color marks. The decision underscores the high...more

Erise IP

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

Erise IP on

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

Federal Circuit Finds Beer Trademark Application Nothing but "Chicken Scratch"

Fish & Richardson on

In yet another recent example of the need for care in establishing a full record when appealing the denial of a trademark application, on April 14, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld the denial of...more

International Lawyers Network

Can Trademarks Be Too Descriptive for Registration?

Suppose you want to register a trademark that identifies a source of goods/services for your business. What if the trademark describes an ingredient, quality, feature, function, characteristic, or purpose of your...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

Baker Botts L.L.P.

When Can District Courts Cancel Trademark Applications?

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Courts are divided on whether their power to order the cancellation of trademark registrations extends to still pending trademark applications under review by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The Ninth...more

Fish & Richardson

Trademark Office Error Saves One Application From Drowning, But Not Its Shipmate

Fish & Richardson on

In a rare case involving an admitted error by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, on February 20, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld the denial of Agadia Systems Inc.’s application for...more

Venable LLP

Protect Your Nonprofit's Mission with Smart Trademark Strategies

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Your nonprofit's name, logo, and slogans are more than just branding—they're valuable assets that should be protected and strengthened. Taking the right trademark steps can prevent legal issues, maintain your brand's...more

Holland & Knight LLP

COGNAC, Hip Hop and Fame: A Trademark Showdown with a Twist

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You might be wondering what cognac, hip-hop and fame have in common. The answer, at least in a recent opinion by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, is certification trademarks. We have written in the past...more

Erise IP

What’s Trending in Trademarks: January 2025

Erise IP on

Every month, Erise’s trademark attorneys review the latest developments at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, in the courts, and across the corporate world to bring you the stories that you should know about: USPTO...more

Offit Kurman

Branding the Produce Aisle: Appealing to Consumer Tastes

Offit Kurman on

Brands are taking over the produce aisle at the grocery store. They have already conquered the cereal aisle, the soda aisle, the chips aisle, and the cookie aisle (my favorite). While there have always been produce brands...more

Volpe Koenig

Recognizing and Avoiding Trademark Scams and Hoaxes

Volpe Koenig on

In this episode of IP Goes Pop!®, hosts Michael Snyder and Joseph Gushue are joined by Jason Lott, Managing Attorney for Trademark Customer Outreach at the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), to explore the evolving...more

McDermott Will & Schulte

Trademark Fee Increases: The TEAS Party Is Over

After a lengthy public comment and review process, the US Patent & Trademark Office (PTO) announced trademark fee increases effective January 18, 2025. The goal of PTO fee setting is to provide sufficient financial resources...more

Erise IP

What’s Trending in Trademarks: November 2024: Injunction Upheld in OpenAI v. Open AI; USPTO Modifies Audit Practice to Target...

Erise IP on

Every month, Erise’s trademark attorneys review the latest developments at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, in the courts, and across the corporate world to bring you the stories that you should know about: 9th Cir....more

ArentFox Schiff

GEMINI Spells Double Trouble for Google’s AI: Gemini Data, Inc. Sues for Trademark Infringement and USPTO Rejects GEMINI Trademark...

ArentFox Schiff on

Gemini Data, Inc., a data analytics company that leverages artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, has filed a federal complaint against Google LLC in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, alleging...more

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