When a home goods company tried to register “SWIFT HOME” for its pillows and sheets, Taylor Swift was not about to shake it off. The intense (albeit brief) trademark showdown between Swift and Cathay Home offers a front-row seat to
Trademark
Never Give Up: How SIDECAR SLIDER BAR Proves Persistence Pays Off in Trademark Prosecution
Bucking the trend of recent Section(d) refusal affirmances, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“TTAB”) delivered a surprising victory to the applicant in In re Restaurant Concept Management, LLC,[1] finding no likelihood of confusion between SIDECAR SLIDER BAR…
TTAB Draws the Line on “See Prior Arguments”
In a precedential opinion issued June 6, 2025, the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s (“USPTO”) Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“TTAB”) affirmed the refusal to register PRINCETON EQUITY GROUP as a trademark for “strategic financial advisory services; providing equity…
Be aware of the PRC trade mark office’s adjustments to practice regarding non-use cancellation
The Chinese New Year is generally seen by those celebrating it as a time for reflection, change and improvement. For the 2025 Chinese New Year, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (“CNIPA”) also seems to have taken the opportunity to…
Reputation Reaches Across Borders: TTAB’s Ruling Charts New Course for Foreign Marks
The Board’s Decision
In a significant precedential ruling, Plumrose Holding Ltd. v. USA Ham LLC, No. 91272970, 2025 WL 248763, at *1 (Jan. 17, 2025), the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“Board”) has expanded protection for foreign trademark owners…
How DC and Marvel lost their “Superheroes” shield
Superbabies Limited (“Superbabies”) creates comics called “The Super Babies,” featuring a team of superhero babies. On May 14, 2024, Superbabies filed a heavily animated petition (“Petition”) to cancel the marks SUPER HERO (U.S. Reg. No. 8,25,835) and SUPER HEROES (U.S.…
10th Circuit Moves Forward with Supreme Court Directive: Domestic Anchor Required for Lanham Act Application
** Drew Engel, a Summer Associate in NRF’s Minneapolis office, assisted with this article. Drew is supervised by attorneys who are licensed in the state of Texas.**
The Tenth Circuit’s recent decision in Hetronic Int’l Inc. v. Hetronic Germany GmbH…
Supreme Court Rules Section 2(c) of Lanham Act Constitutional and TRUMP TOO SMALL Not Registrable
** Logan Woodward, a Summer Associate in NRF’s Minneapolis Office, assisted with this article. Logan is supervised by attorneys who are licensed in the State of Texas. **
In June 2024, the Supreme Court held in Vidal v. Elster that…
Trademarks and NFTs: The battle over “MetaBirkin” NFTs continues
** This article was drafted by Logan Woodward, a Summer Associate in NRF’s Minneapolis Office. Logan is supervised by attorneys who are licensed in the State of Texas.
The MetaBirkin dispute continues before the United States Court of Appeals for…
