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Law 227: Trademarks & Unfair Competition. Registration & Clearance June 18, 2009 Jefferson Scher. TM & Unfair Comp — Day 6 Agenda. The Federal registration process Reconciling “first to use” and “first to file” priority
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Law 227: Trademarks &Unfair Competition Registration & ClearanceJune 18, 2009Jefferson Scher
TM & Unfair Comp — Day 6Agenda • The Federal registration process • Reconciling “first to use” and “first to file” priority • Clearance: Determining whether a proposed trademark is “available for use and registration”
any combination Federal Registration ProcessThe Initial Application • Bases for registration • §1(a) — Use in commerce that Congress can regulate (interstate, international) • §1(b) — Intention to use in commerce • §44(e) — Foreign registration • §66(a) — Request for extension of protection under the Madrid Protocol — distinct procedure, not combinable
Federal Registration ProcessThe Initial Application • Electronic filing • Let’s visit... PTOSample
DATACELITU AppFiled Opposer’sFirst Use ofDATACELL ApprovedforPublication Oppositionfiled: LOC,use priority ConditionalJudgmentfor AT&T Notice ofAllowanceIssued ExpressWithdrawalby AT&T FinalJudgmentagainst AT&T 1/11/90 4/15/90 11/26/90 4/23/91 10/21/91 5/12/92 10/07/92 1/08/93 First to Use vs. First to FileCreating a New Trademark Right • Zirco Corp. v. AT&T p190 • Context: TTAB proceedings
1st app = TLV; 1st actual use = WV;1st use analogous to a TM = ? TLV filesITU app WV & Buddy Lshow mockups,take orders WV shipsgoods toresellers WV filesITU apps Buddy LfilesITU app Buddy Lexhibits attrade fairs WV goodson sale tothe public 9/23/94 Oct-Dec 94 12/22/94 1/03/95 1/06/95 Jan-Feb 95 1/18/95 First to Use vs. First to FileCreating a New Trademark Right • WarnerVision v. Empire of Carolina • Context: District Court litigation p193
E buys applications pre-dating both WV’s use and its ITU application... WV C&Dletter toBuddy L Buddy Lfiles BK,E buys TM E goodson sale tothe public WV C&Dletter toE E buysTLV’sITU app WVsuesE D. Ct.grants WVinjunction Feb 95 Feb-July 95 8/15/95 Sept 95 10/20/95 11/13/95 2/12/96 &3/26/96 First to Use vs. First to FileCreating a New Trademark Right • WarnerVision v. Empire of Carolina • Empire enters the picture by acquisition
First to Use vs. First to FileCreating a New Trademark Right • Koala / Armadillo p202
Assessing Trademark AvailabilityDemo: Screening • Internet Explorer set-up • ActiveX, scripting, pop-ups • Add to(A) Trusted sites list and (B) Allowed sites for pop-ups: • www.ctcorsearch.com • www.advantage-screening.com • www.corsearch-advantage.com
Assessing Trademark AvailabilityDemo: Screening • Proposed marks for online sympathy card web site and associated software • Winners in employee naming contest • E-GREETS • ALOHA • SHOUTOUT.COM • TESS vs. Advantage Screening
Assessing Trademark AvailabilityDemo: Comprehensive Search • Proposed marks for online sympathy card web site and associated software • Survivor of preliminary screening • BOO-HOO!
TM & Unfair Comp — Up NextTopics and Reading for Day 7 • Trademark “Prosecution” • Chapter 4, pp. 202-248 • Online • Cases: DuPont, Dixie, Opus One • Misc: TMEP excerpts, Cases for Discussion, Sample Responses, Sample Consent to Registration