On January 17, 2024, the Supreme People’s Court of China (“SPC”) published its decision upholding a ruling in favor of Sennics Chemical Technology Co., Ltd. (“Sennics”), granting them an award of RMB 201.54 million (around USD
Trademark
The TTAB’s Periodic Reminder that Deadlines Matter
In a decision earlier this year, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“Board”) dismissed as moot a cancellation proceeding filed by Men’s Wearhouse, LLC against WKND NYC LLC for the mark

(hereinafter, “MW MRWKND”) because Men’s Wearhouse filed the cancellation…
EVERYBODY is VS RACISM, so the Mark Fails as a Source Identifier
In a recent decision, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed the decision of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“Board”) to deny registration of “EVERYBODY VS RACISM” because the “public is unlikely to associate the…
Black Card Can Register FOLLOW THE LEADER Mark
In a presidential decision, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“TTAB”) held that Black Card, LLC can register FOLLOW THE LEADER because the phrase operates as a source identifier and not as an unregistrable common phrase.
Black Card applied to…
Sweeter than Watermelon: When are Fruit Designs Functional?
The Third Circuit affirmed the cancellation of plaintiff PIM Brands, Inc.’s (“PIM”) trademark for “the shape of a wedge for candy, with an upper green section with white speckles, followed by a narrow middle white section and followed by a…
Reverse Confusion: A Lesser Known Approach to Analyzing Likelihood of Confusion
Home Chef continues to lose the battle to stop Grubhub from using, what they assert, is a confusingly similar logo for food-related services.

Home Chef began using its HC Home Mark
and Home Chef Home Logo
(collectively, the “HC Marks”)…
TTAB Confirms Characters Can Be Registered as Trademarks If The Characters Function as Trademarks
In a precedential decision the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“Board”) affirmed a refusal to register a character featured in a video game on the grounds that the proposed design mark failed to function as a trademark. In re Joseph…
Whirlpool Wins Appeal Against Chinese Manufacturer in KITCHENAID Trademark Lawsuit
The Fifth Circuit upheld a preliminary injunction last week prohibiting Chinese company Shenzhen Sanlida Electrical Technology Co. Ltd. and Shenzhen Sanlida Electrical Technology Co., Ltd. (collectively “Shenzhen”) from selling stand mixers that allegedly infringe Whirlpool Corp.’s (“Whirlpool”) famous KITCHENAID trademarks…
TTAB Prohibits Sur-Sur-Rebuttals in Trademark Proceedings
In a recent precedential opinion in Monster Energy Company v. Coulter Ventures, LLC, Oppositions Nos. 91233515 (parent), 91233516, 91233517, 91242202, and 91252191 (August 7, 2023), the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“TTAB”) shed light on the procedural intricacies…
It’s a girl group, but a BOYS WORLD: When does a performing artist’s name function as a trademark?
In a precedential decision, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“Board”) reversed the decision of the Examining Attorney, concluding that BOYS WORLD for “audio recordings featuring music,” in International Class 9 functioned as a trademark. ZeroSix, LLC, 2023 U.S.P.Q.2D…