Tag Archives: Federal Unfair Competition

COAST SPAS v. WEST COAST SPAS…are you confused?

23 Thursday Jun 2016

Posted by in District of Oregon, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Oregon, Trademark

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Plaintiff has sold hot tubs and spa products under the COAST SPAS mark for 19 years.

They recently became aware that a competitor has been manufacturing and selling hot tubs and spas under the WEST COAST SPAS mark since 2011.

According to the Complaint (below), Plaintiff has encountered instances of actual confusion leading to lost sales.

Defendant’s website address, www.wcoastspas.com, is similar to the Plaintiff’s domain, www.coastspas.com.

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Coast Spas Manufacturing Inc. v. Marletto Manufacturing, Inc.

Court Case Number: 3:16-cv-01162-YY
File Date: Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Plaintiff: Coast Spas Manufacturing Inc.
Plaintiff Counsel: J. Christopher Carraway of Klarquist Sparkman, LLP
Defendant: Marletto Manufacturing, Inc. d/b/a West Coast Spas
Cause: Federal Unfair Competition, Common Law Trademark Infringement, Common Law Unfair Competition, Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices
Court: District of Oregon
Judge: Youlee Yim You

Complaint:

 

Simple Finance files trademark lawsuit against Simple RTO, alleges website mimicry

10 Tuesday May 2016

Posted by in District of Oregon, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Oregon, Trademark

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This trademark dispute involves the trademarks SIMPLE and SIMPLE FINANCE in connection with financial services.

In addition to using confusingly similar trademarks, the Defendant is also accused of mimicking the design of Plaintiff’s website.

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Simple Finance Technology Corp. v. Simple RTO, LLC

Court Case Number: 3:16-cv-00801-BR
File Date: Monday, May 9, 2016
Plaintiff: Simple Finance Technology Corp.
Plaintiff Counsel: Kristina J. Holm, William C. Rava of Perkins Coie LLP
Defendant: Simple RTO, LLC d/b/a Simple Finance
Cause: Federal Trademark Infringement, Federal Unfair Competition, Common Law Trademark Infringement, Common Law Unfair Competition, State Dilution
Court: District of Oregon
Judge: Anna J. Brown

Complaint:

adidas sues Ecco over “Three-Stripe” Trademark

25 Monday Apr 2016

Posted by in District of Oregon, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Oregon, Trademark

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The adidas “Three-Stripe” crusade continues, this time against Ecco Shoes.

Screen Shot 2016-04-25 at 7.48.57 AMClick the Adidas tag on this post for other “Three-Stripe” litigation.

adidas America, Inc. et al v. ECCO USA, Inc. et al

Court Case Number: 3:2016-cv-00684
File Date: Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Plaintiff: adidas America, Inc., adidas AG
Plaintiff Counsel: Daniel P. Larsen of Ater Wynne LLP
Defendant: Ecco USA, Inc., Ecco SKO A/S
Cause: Federal Trademark Infringement, Federal Unfair Competition, Federal Trademark Dilution, Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices, Common Law Trademark Infringement, Common Law Unfair Competition, Breach of Contract
Court: District of Oregon
Judge: Michael H. Simon

Complaint:

Portland’s new “Pelican’s Waiting Room” sued for Trademark Infringement on First Day of Business

23 Wednesday Mar 2016

Posted by in District of Oregon, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Oregon, Trademark

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Less than a week into operation and already facing a trademark lawsuit…ouch. I’d revert to the IP attorney’s old adage of “Always do a proper trademark clearance search” but I’m not sure that was even necessary here. The Plaintiff in this trademark lawsuit is the well-known Pelican Brewing Company, set in beautiful Pacific City, Oregon.

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Defendants are alleged to have (recently…Soft Opening was March 19 and Grand Opening is today) infringed upon Plaintiff’s numerous PELICAN-formative marks by opening a bar and restaurant in Portland, Oregon (near NW 23rd, in the home of the recently closed Peddler and Pen) that serves beer, coffee, and foods under the name “Pelican’s Waiting Room.” Defendants also allegedly use a “confusingly similar” logo, as well as food and beverages branded “Pelican” including an alcoholic beverage called “Pelican’s Punch.”

Plaintiff has numerous federal registrations for PELICAN-formative marks. A few weeks ago, Plaintiff was contacted by the director of the Oregon Brewers Guild, who indicated that people in the beer and restaurant industries may be experiencing and/or may be likely to experience confusion between Plaintiff’s PELICAN Marks and Defendants’ use of the Infringing Mark.

Note that the Defendants’ website has already removed the term “Pelican” and now just calls the restaurant “The Waiting Room” so this lawsuit could be resolved quickly.

For Pelican beer aficionados, here’s some good information from the Complaint:

[Plaintiff] is opening the Pelican Brewing Pub in Cannon Beach, Oregon in late Spring 2016. Plaintiff also has plans to open a PELICAN-branded bar and restaurant in Portland, Oregon.

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Pelican Brewing Company v. Pelican’s Waiting Room, LLC et al

Court Case Number: 3:2016-cv-00486
File Date: Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Plaintiff: Pelican Brewing Company
Plaintiff Counsel: Michael A. Cohen, Nicholas (Nika) F. Aldrich, Jr., Alexandra J. Bodnar of Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt
Defendant: Pelican’s Waiting Room, LLC d/b/a Pelican’s Waiting Room, No Comply Food Group, LLC, Kyle Rourke
Cause: Federal Trademark Infringement, Federal Unfair Competition, Common Law Trademark Infringement, Common Law Unfair Competition
Court: District of Oregon
Judge: Anna J. Brown

Complaint:

adidas “Three-Stripe” Trademark enforced against Four-Stripe Footwear

08 Tuesday Mar 2016

Posted by in District of Oregon, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Oregon, Trademark

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The adidas “Three-Stripe” crusade continues, this time against four stripes…

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Click the Adidas tag on this post for other “Three-Stripe” litigation.

adidas America, Inc. et al v. Athletic Propulsion Labs, LLC

Court Case Number: 3:16-cv-00415-HZ
File Date: Monday, March 7, 2016
Plaintiff: adidas America, Inc., adidas AG
Plaintiff Counsel: Stephen M. Feldman of Perkins Coie LLP
Defendant: Athletic Propulsion Labs
Cause: Federal Trademark Infringement, Federal Unfair Competition, State Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices, Common Law Trademark Infringement, Common Law Unfair Competition, Federal Trademark Dilution, State Trademark Dilution
Court: District of Oregon
Judge: Marco A. Hernandez

Complaint:

Oregon Trademark Litigation Update – Blue Sky Wellness Studio v. Blue Sky of Portland

15 Tuesday Dec 2015

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Bridgit Beasley, P.C. d/b/a Blue Sky Wellness Studio v. Blue Sky of Portland, LLC

Court Case Number: 3:15-cv-02327
File Date: Monday, December 14, 2015
Plaintiff: Bridgit Beasley, P.C. d/b/a Blue Sky Wellness Studio
Plaintiff Counsel: Thomas E. Scanlon
Defendant: Blue Sky of Portland, LLC
Cause: Federal Unfair Competition, State and Common Law Trademark Infringement, State Unlawful Trade and Business Practices
Court: District of Oregon
Judge: John Jelderks

Complaint:

Oregon Trademark Litigation Update – adidas America v. TRB Acquisitions

12 Thursday Nov 2015

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This adidas lawsuit involves its triangular “Badge of Sport Mark” and “RBK” trademarks. The alleged infringer is a New York-based company and its products are allegedly sold side-by-side with adidas products in retail stores. The Complaint shows a photograph allegedly taken at TJ Maxx.

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adidas America Inc. et al v. TRB Acquisitions LLC

Court Case Number: 3:15-cv-02113
File Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Plaintiff: adidas America Inc., adidas AG, Adidas International Marketing B.V., Reebok International Ltd.
Plaintiff Counsel: Stephen M. Feldman of Perkins Coie LLP
Defendant: TRB Acquisitions LLC
Cause: Federal Trademark Infringement, Federal Unfair Competition, Federal Trademark Dilution, Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices, Common Law Trademark Infringement, Common Law Unfair Competition, State Trademark Dilution, Injury to Business Reputation
Court: District of Oregon
Judge: Michael H. Simon

Complaint:

Oregon Trademark Litigation Update – adidas America v. Cougar Sport

07 Wednesday Oct 2015

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adidas is back with more “Three-Stripe” litigation, this time against Cougar Sport, a New York-based clothing company selling apparel with four stripes (2 light, 2 dark). adidas has a history of attempting to expand its “Three-Stripe” trademark rights beyond, well, just three stripes. Three can also mean 2 stripes and, if adidas has its way here, 4 stripes.

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The Three-Stripe mark is so famous and distinctive, as adidas frequently reminds us in its Complaint, there must certainly be an argument made that consumers would immediately recognize that 2 and 4-stripe apparel are obviously NOT adidas products.

Earlier this year, fashion designer Marc Jacobs was set to test adidas’ rights to “four stripes,” but adidas voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit shortly after filing the Complaint. Perhaps Cougar Sport should hire Marc Jacobs’ attorneys…

adidas America Inc. et al v. Cougar Sport Inc.

Court Case Number: 3:15-cv-01856-SI
File Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Plaintiff: adidas America Inc., adidas AG
Plaintiff Counsel: Stephen M. Feldman of Perkins Coie LLP
Defendant: Cougar Sport Inc.
Cause: Federal Trademark Infringement, Federal Unfair Competition, Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices, Common Law Trademark Infringement and Unfair Competition, Federal Trademark Dilution
Court: District of Oregon
Judge: Judge Michael H. Simon

Complaint: 

Oregon Trademark Litigation Update – adidas America et al v. Skechers USA

24 Thursday Sep 2015

Posted by in District of Oregon, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Oregon, Trademark

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adidas has a long history with Skechers. In 1994, adidas filed suit for trademark infringement over Skechers‘s Karl Kani footwear. The companies entered into a settlement agreement the following year (the “1995 Agreement,” attached below). Under this agreement, Skechers acknowledged that adidas is the exclusive owner of the THREE STRIPE DESIGN, agreed not to use the THREE STRIPE DESIGN or any mark confusingly similar thereto, and agreed to cease distribution of its KARL KANI sport shoe.

Between 2008 and 2013, adidas and Skechers allegedly entered into five separate confidential settlement agreements about infringements and dilutions of the Three-Stripe Mark. This most recent complaint from adidas claims that “notwithstanding the 1995 Agreement and the subsequent 2008-2013 Agreements–and in continuing, blatant disregard of adidas‘s rights–Skechers yet again is . . . selling footwear . . . bearing a confusingly similar imitation of the adidas Marks.”

adidas is especially aggrieved about a shoe that is (allegedly) confusingly similar to their famous Stan Smith shoe and claims that Skechers intends their “Stan Smith Knock-Off” shoe to be confusingly similar to the adidas Trade Dress and offers evidence that the Skechers website included the terms “stan smith” and “adidas original” in the source code.

adidas America Inc. et al v. Skechers USA Inc.

Court Case Number: 3:15-cv-01741-JE
File Date: Monday, September 14, 2015
Plaintiff: adidas America Inc., adidas AG, Adidas International Marketing B.V.
Plaintiff Counsel: Stephen M. Feldman of Perkins Coie LLP
Defendant: Skechers USA Inc.
Cause: Federal Trademark and Trade Dress Infringement, Federal Unfair Competition, Federal Trademark and Trade Dress Dilution, State Trademark Dilution with respect to the Three-Stripe Mark, Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices, Common Law Trademark Infringement and Unfair Competition, Breach of Contract
Court: District of Oregon
Judge: Magistrate Judge John Jelderks

Complaint:

1995 Agreement:

Oregon Trademark Litigation Update – adidas America v. Forever 21

18 Tuesday Aug 2015

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Adidas has filed a complaint alleging that clothing retailer, Forever 21, and clothing manufacturer/distributor, Central Mills, have been selling counterfeit adidas clothing. In the complaint, adidas alleges Defendants have been importing and selling “apparel bearing three stripes that constitute counterfeit and/or confusingly similar imitations of adidas’s Three-Stripe Mark,” and included pictures of two examples (see Complaint below).

In 2013, Forever 21 and Central Mills were sued by fashion photograher, Mark Hunter, for copyright infringement. Hunter alleged that Defendants used one of his photographs on clothing without authorization. That case was settled out of court less than four months after the complaint was filed.

adidas America Inc. et al v. Forever 21 Inc. et al

Court Case Number: 3:15-cv-01559
File Date: Monday, August 17, 2015
Plaintiff: adidas America Inc., adidas AG
Plaintiff Counsel: Stephen M. Feldman of Perkins Coie LLP
Defendant: Forever 21 Inc., Central Mills Inc.
Cause: Counterfeiting, Federal Trademark Infringement, Federal Unfair Competition, Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices, Common Law Trademark Infringement and Unfair Competition, Federal Trademark Dilution, State Trademark Dilution
Court: District of Oregon
Judge: Michael H. Simon