Category: trademark

Supreme Court Narrows Trademark Protections Outside US

The Supreme Court unanimously ruled on June 29 that a trademark law does not regulate the use of U.S. trademarks outside the United States. At the same time, the justices split 5–4 on whether the holder of an infringed trademark could still seek damages domestically for the trademark infringement that took place abroad if it…


‘Taco Tuesday’ Trademark Tiff Flares Anew Between Fast Food Competitors

CHEYENNE, Wyo.—Declaring a mission to liberate “Taco Tuesday” for all, Taco Bell is asking U.S. regulators to force Wyoming-based Taco John’s to abandon its longstanding claim to the trademark. Too many businesses and others refer to “Taco Tuesday” for Taco John’s to be able to have exclusive rights to the phrase, Taco Bell asserts in…


Chipotle Sues Sweetgreen for Trademark Infringement Over ‘Chipotle Chicken’ Bowl

Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc sued fast-casual dining rival Sweetgreen Inc. in California federal court Tuesday, claiming the salad chain’s new “Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl” violates its trademark rights. Chipotle’s lawsuit said Sweetgreen’s “very similar and directly competitive” bowl is an attempt to capitalize on the Chipotle brand and likely to confuse consumers. Sweetgreen said in…


Apple Music Trademark Application Blocked by US Appeals Court

Apple Inc. lost a bid to register part of a federal trademark for “Apple Music” on Tuesday after a U.S. appeals court ruled for a jazz musician who challenged the tech giant’s application. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit rejected Apple’s argument that it had priority over trumpeter Charlie Bertini’s “Apple Jazz”…


Supreme Court Questions Whether Foreign Trademark Infringement Verdict Should Stand

A domestic manufacturer urged the Supreme Court on March 21 to uphold a $90 million award against a foreign company for trademark infringement almost all of which took place outside the United States. The case concerns the reach of the Lanham Act of 1946, a federal law that regulates trademarks and unfair competition. The presumption…


Virgin Wins $160 Million in Trademark Dispute With Alaska Airlines

LONDON—Virgin Group won its trademark case against Alaska Airlines Inc. for approximately $160 million on Thursday, with a judge in London ruling that it is entitled to royalties even though the U.S. airline no longer uses the Virgin brand. Virgin units Virgin Aviation TM Ltd. and Virgin Enterprises Ltd. argued Alaska is liable to pay…


Shanghai Court Conducts Hearing on Bruce Lee’s ‘Personality Rights’ Lawsuit

A Shanghai court recently conducted a hearing on the lawsuit against several locations of the Chinese fast-food chain Real Kungfu for infringement of Bruce Lee’s image. Bruce Lee Enterprises, LLC, headed by Shannon Lee, the daughter of Bruce Lee, filed the lawsuit in 2019 demanding that Real Kungfu immediately stop using the image of her father…


Swear Word Cannot Be Trademarked, Intellectual Property Appeals Tribunal Rules

After winning his case at the Supreme Court allowing the trademarking of a word that can be pronounced the same way as the past participle of a swear word, a designer found his application to trademark the actual swear word rejected by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB). In a precedent-setting decision, the TTAB…


Swear Word Can’t Be Trademarked, Intellectual Property Appeals Tribunal Rules

After winning his case at the Supreme Court allowing the trademarking of a word that can be pronounced the same way as the past participle of a swear word, a designer found his application to trademark the actual swear word rejected by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB). In a precedent-setting decision, the TTAB…


Famous Brands Could Face Trademark Infringement in Russia

Russia’s trademark office is seeing a spike in applications for famous Western brands since the Russian government issued a decree early last month, permitting the use of patents from “unfriendly countries” without pay or consent from the owner. Opportunistic Russians, emboldened by the decree, have so far submitted more than 50 trademark applications for names…