Gerben Law Firm's Trademark Blog

Jimmy Butler has filed three new trademark applications for the coffee business he started in the NBA Bubble. The applications were just made on September 4 for “BIG FACE COFFEE,” “NO I.O.U.’S” and a logo. The applications protect Butler’s new brand in association with a variety of goods and services, including apparel, mugs and cups, […]

Nike and Kawhi Leonard have filed documents with the Federal District Court in Portland Oregon revealing that they have come to a settlement agreement in their year-long dispute over the ownership of Kawhi Leonard’s claw logo. This dispute started on June 3, 2019 when Kawhi Leonard filed a lawsuit against Nike stating that he was […]

Monitoring your trademark and the surrounding marketplace to ensure that no one else is potentially infringing upon your registration is a key responsibility for any trademark owner. When a potential infringement matter is discovered, however, it may be difficult to determine what next steps are available to you. If you are met with a possible […]

The NCAA has filed a new trademark application for “BATTLE IN THE BUBBLE.” The filing was just made with the USPTO on August 26 and indicates that the NCAA will offer “athletic contests, games, tournaments, exhibitions and other athletic events at the college level.”  Essentially, this means that the NCAA intends to use the slogan […]

The new Seattle Kraken hockey team may have just avoided a lengthy trademark dispute by working with the owner of the “RELEASE THE KRAKEN” trademark registration, Kraken rum. In July, the NHL Seattle team announced their new name would be the Seattle Kraken. In doing so, they filed a slew of trademark applications with the […]

The Seattle Kraken have withdrawn three of the team’s initial trademark filings– two of the withdrawn filings were for the slogan “RELEASE THE KRAKEN,” the third for a “S” logo. In late July, the team originally filed a series of new trademark applications for “SEATTLE KRAKEN,” “RELEASE THE KRAKEN,” and logos. While the applications for […]

In recent months, there has been great speculation about the new name for the Washington Football Team. One of the main reasons owner Dan Snyder went with a temporary name is because it can be incredibly difficult to find a name you like that can be cleared from a trademark perspective with the USPTO. It’s […]

If you are a business owner in a small town like Lancaster, you have a personal understanding of the importance of building a recognizable, long-lasting brand narrative that speaks to your consumer audience. As your business grows beyond the borders of Lancaster County, it is crucial that steps are taken to protect your name, slogan, […]

The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) has filed two new trademark applications for “WUBBLE.” This is presumably the league’s interpretation of “the bubble,” in which the NBA is currently playing. These filings were made with the USPTO on August 5, 2020. The first application covers goods and services that would normally be seen when protecting […]

Unlike some other forms of intellectual property, patents cannot be renewed for an indefinite period of time.  Most notably, trademarks have a different process for renewals. Instead, patents have an expiration date; although calculating the term of a patent can be difficult and can involve a number of factors, as discussed briefly below. 1. What […]

Under Armour recently announced Joel Embiid’s new sneaker line and the “JE” logo that goes along with it. That said, while this announcement was just made in August of 2020, Under Armour has been trying to keep the new “JE” logo a secret for months. Back in January 2020, Under Armour originally filed a trademark […]

The United States Patent and Trademark Office has enacted a new program that requires some trademark registrants to go beyond the normal requirements of renewing their trademark and prove continued use of the items listed in their trademark applications. The USPTO’s audit program requires trademark registrants and their attorneys to be extra vigilant when renewing […]