The Trademark Blog http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/ en Copyright 2010 Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:50:21 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=3.2 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss What Didn't Happen at the ICANN Meeting This Past Week? ICANN didn't accelarate the deadlines for applying for new TLDs. There still isn't a set deadline. There probably won't be a deadline set prior to the next open meeting in June. Stay tuned. More here.

]]> http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/03/what_didnt_happ.html http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/03/what_didnt_happ.html Domain Names Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:50:21 -0500 OLD TESTAMENT BACON, NEW TESTAMENT CONDOMS? KHORAN WINE? Applicant sells KHORAN wine - KHORAN apparently is the Armenian word for ALTAR. Examiner doesn't reject of descriptiveness but on Section 2(a) disparagement - as the Koran prohibits alcohol, Muslims will be disparaged by registration of the mark. TTABlog summarizes and links to the Board decision upholding the refusal.

A couple of initial observations: (1) the mark has allegedly been in use in the US since 2000. The record doesn't indicate one way or another whether there has been objections to the mark. Once this case gets reported, it will be too late to obtain 'sincere' evidence on this point; (2) this was a (rare) augmented board of 5 panelists; (3) the Board's "there is no proper way to spell a foreign word/what about the radio" analysis is well-settled practice, however I suspect that in this instance, Muslims may interpret KHORAN WINE differently than KORAN WINE as to whether they are being targeted (I don't have $250,000 to test this point).

Finally, the elephant in the room: within seconds of reading what this case was about, I was reminded of the Dutch cartoons, and Theo van Gogh.

]]> http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/03/old_testament_b.html http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/03/old_testament_b.html Scandalous and Immoral! Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:20:08 -0500 5 Possible Reasons Why Lindsay Lohan Filed That Talking-Baby Lawsuit 5 Possible Reasons Why Lindsay Lohan Filed That Talking-Baby Lawsuit. I'm going with numbers 1 (she believes she can win); and (4) she gets publicity (note how we're talking about her). Also add number (6): people will be less likely to use her persona without authorization.

]]> http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/03/5_possible_reas.html http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/03/5_possible_reas.html Coulrophobia Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:19:04 -0500 Lindsay Sues eTrade.

You know who I mean, right? Lindasay Lohan sues eTrade under NY Civil Rights Law Section 51, in Nassau County Supreme Court, NY, for $50 million. Lindsay the milkaholic baby, allegedly refers to her.

Practice pointer: Avoid use of word 'parody' when describing defendant's acts.

The Naked Cowboy case is one of the more recent NY Section 51 cases around these parts (embedded below).

Hat Tip: AGL


Complaint Lindsay Etrade

Decision Naked Cowboy Right of Publicity

]]> http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/03/lindsay_sues_et.html http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/03/lindsay_sues_et.html Coulrophobia Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:03:18 -0500 Spot The Lawsuit In This Commercial (')(') <- me rolling my eyes


Complaint LV Hyundai

]]> http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/03/spot_the_lawsui.html http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/03/spot_the_lawsui.html Coulrophobia Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:51:04 -0500 Black Card v Black Card Trade Dress amex black card.jpg

barclays-visa-blackcard.jpg

American Express provides the Centurion credit card, known as the Black Card. The annual fee is reportedly $2500. Defendant offers a black card (and claims it filed a patent for its 'carbon and carbon-based' card).

Complaint Black Card

]]> http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/03/black_card_v_bl.html http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/03/black_card_v_bl.html Trade Dress Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:52:13 -0500 One Way Of Getting To $2 Million In Damages Start with a famous mark such as ROLL ROYCE, have defendant copy it, have defendant not show up, have two plaintiffs awarded $1 million each.

Decision Rolls Royce Default

]]> http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/02/one_way_of_gett.html http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/02/one_way_of_gett.html Damages Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:21:34 -0500 SDNY: Demand Letters, Declaratory Actions and the First to File rule SDNY: Motion to transfer granted following 'first to file' rule. Discussion as to what extent a Declaratory Judgement filed in response to a demand letter will not be recognized as a first filing.

Decision Motion to Transfer First to File

]]> http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/02/sdny_demand_let.html http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/02/sdny_demand_let.html Decaratory Judgement Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:04:32 -0500 TTAB: CITIBANK v CAPITAL CITY BANK What TTABlog said.

]]> http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/02/ttab_citibank_v.html http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/02/ttab_citibank_v.html What Is This Thing Called Dilution? Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:18:41 -0500 I Will Be Part of a Panel on Fan Fiction and Mash-Ups At The Copyright Society Lunch in Manhattan This Wednesday Copyright Society Mash Up

]]> http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/02/i_will_be_part.html http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/02/i_will_be_part.html Copyright Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:20:52 -0500 Trade Dress Suit re Lacrosse Helmets trade dress helmet.jpg

Plaintiff (represented by friend of the blog John Welch) sues New Balance alleging infringement in trade dress of lacrosse helmet.

Complaint Sports Helmet

]]> http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/02/post_34.html http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/02/post_34.html Trade Dress Sat, 20 Feb 2010 19:00:38 -0500 DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS v PATIENTS WITHOUT BORDERS Complaint Doctors Without Borders

]]> http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/02/doctors_without.html http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/02/doctors_without.html Likelihood of Confusion Thu, 11 Feb 2010 13:58:18 -0500 Heart Attack Grill v Heart Stoppers for Burgers Laughing in the face of death, Heart Attack Grill sues Heart Stoppers (both are burger restaurant) for infringing use of 'high caloric food, medically themed' burger. Both places offer quadruple burgers, have wait-staff wearing nurses uniforms, etc. Both places allow people over 350 to eat free. Heart Attack Grill seems to have only one location (iin Arizona) and defendant seems to be only in Florida, so there may be a question as to whether there is trans-fat in the dawn donuts.

Coverage here.

Is there a public policy issue here? Coming to the table of equity with greasy hands?

Complaint Heart Attack Grill

]]> http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/02/heart_attack_gr.html http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/02/heart_attack_gr.html Trade Dress Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:37:36 -0500 Marilyn Monroe's Ghost Spotted Drafting Legislation In Albany, New York? marilyn monroe ghost.jpg

Dead celebrities have lobbied NY state senators to introduce S06790, a bill to amend NY civil rights law to add a 70 year post-mortem right to prevent the use of the persona of a deceased personality. The ghost of Marilyn Monroe may have been among the lobbyists, because Section 12 of the bill seems to reverse the outcome of this case, that held that Marilyn Monroe's estate, and CMG, the estate's agent, couldn't enforce post-mortem rights in NY, if we ever got them, because you cannot devise what doesn't exist when the will is written.

Drawing of Marilyn Monroe ghost from here.

]]> http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/02/marilyn_monroes.html http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/02/marilyn_monroes.html Right of Publicity/Privacy Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:32:05 -0500 My Huffington Post Column On The WHO DAT Dispute huffpo who dat grab.tiff

Trademark Nation: Who Dat Who Own Who Dat?

]]> http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/02/my_huffington_p.html http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2010/02/my_huffington_p.html Trademark Fair Use Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:14:25 -0500