The Supreme Court (“Court”) in USPTO v. Booking.com resolved a dispute about whether a generic name can become eligible for federal trademark registration though the addition of an internet-domain-name suffix such as “.com.” The USPTO rejected applications by travel-reservation website Booking.com seeking federal registration of marks including the term “Booking.com.” The USPTO concluded that “Booking.com” […]
Romag v. Fossil: Resolving a Circuit Split on Willfulness and Profit Awards for Trademark Infringement
| Posted in Blog | No commentIn the midst of the COVID pandemic, the Supreme Court resolved an issue that was split evenly between the circuit courts. The issue before the Court was whether the Lanham Act, which is the federal statute governing trademarks, required a plaintiff to prove that the defendant had willfully infringed their trademark before the plaintiff could […]
The “Secret Formula” for Choosing a Brand Name
| Posted in Blog | No commentUnarguably, one of the most important branding decisions to be made by an entrepreneur is the name of the venture. Some of the world’s most iconic brands not only have catchy names, but also names with a great story behind them. These stories often offer a glimpse at the company’s history, whether or not the […]