The Unique Challenges of Protecting a Law Firm Brand
“In American Association of Motorcycle Injury Lawyers Inc. v. HP3 Law LLC et al., an Arizona-based legal trade association, which held trademark rights in the name ‘Law Tigers’, sued an Illinois law firm that was using the nickname ‘TigerLaw,'” reposted from Law360.com by Tyler Maulsby and Kimberly Maynard in Frankfurt Kurnit Klein + Selz’ blog.
“The Law Tigers argued that the Illinois firm’s name was confusingly similar and therefore infringed their trademark rights. This is by no means the first law firm trademark dispute.”
“Earlier this year, a law firm called Thrive IP sued another firm operating under the name Thrive Law, in Stipkala & Klosowski LLC v. Thrive Law PA. In Florida, a federal judge denied a law firm’s request for a preliminary injunction in a trademark lawsuit, Simon et al. v. Nicholson Injury Law PA et al., against a competitor firm over the use of the phrase ‘Simon Says.’ And in Florida, Texas and Colorado, law firms are arguing over the rights to use certain words or phrases in their branding and advertising.”