1. Law 227: Trademarks & Unfair Competition Registration & Clearance June 18, 2009 Jefferson Scher

2. TM & Unfair Comp — Day 6 Agenda The Federal registration process Reconciling “first to use” and “first to file” priority Clearance: Determining whether a proposed trademark is “available for use and registration”

3. Federal Registration Process The Initial Application Bases for registration  §1(a) — Use in commerce that Congress can regulate (interstate, international)  §1(b) — Intention to use in commerce  §44(e) — Foreign registration  §66(a) — Request for extension of protection under the Madrid Protocol — distinct procedure, not combinable any combination

4. Federal Registration Process The Initial Application Electronic filing  Let’s visit... PTO SamplePTOSample

5. Federal Registration Process The Initial Application

6. First to Use vs. First to File Creating a New Trademark Right Zirco Corp. v. AT&T p190  Context: TTAB proceedings 1/11/90 DATACEL ITU App Filed 4/15/90 Opposer’s First Use of DATACELL 10/21/91 Conditional Judgment for AT&T 1/08/93 Final Judgment against AT&T 4/23/91 Opposition filed: LOC, use priority 10/07/92 Express Withdrawal by AT&T 5/12/92 Notice of Allowance Issued 11/26/90 Approved for Publication

7. First to Use vs. First to File Creating a New Trademark Right WarnerVision v. Empire of Carolina  Context: District Court litigation p193 Oct-Dec 94 WV & Buddy L show mockups, take orders 12/22/94 WV ships goods to resellers 1/03/95 WV files ITU apps 1/18/95 WV goods on sale to the public 9/23/94 TLV files ITU app 1/06/95 Buddy L files ITU app Jan-Feb 95 Buddy L exhibits at trade fairs 1st app = TLV; 1st actual use = WV; 1st use analogous to a TM = ?

8. First to Use vs. First to File Creating a New Trademark Right WarnerVision v. Empire of Carolina  Empire enters the picture by acquisition Feb-July 95 Buddy L files BK, E buys TM 8/15/95 E goods on sale to the public 10/20/95 E buys TLV’s ITU app 11/13/95 WV sues E Feb 95 WV C&D letter to Buddy L Sept 95 WV C&D letter to E 2/12/96 & 3/26/96 D. Ct. grants WV injunction E buys applications pre-dating both WV’s use and its ITU application...

9. First to Use vs. First to File Creating a New Trademark Right Koala / Armadillo p202

10. Assessing Trademark Availability Demo: Screening Internet Explorer set-up  ActiveX, scripting, pop-ups  Add to (A) Trusted sites list and (B) Allowed sites for pop-ups:  www.ctcorsearch.com  www.advantage-screening.com  www.corsearch-advantage.com

11. Assessing Trademark Availability Demo: Screening Proposed marks for online sympathy card web site and associated software  Winners in employee naming contest  E-GREETS  ALOHA  SHOUTOUT.COM  TESS vs. Advantage Screening

12. Assessing Trademark Availability Demo: Comprehensive Search Proposed marks for online sympathy card web site and associated software  Survivor of preliminary screening  BOO-HOO!

13. TM & Unfair Comp — Up Next Topics and Reading for Day 7 Trademark “Prosecution”  Chapter 4, pp. 202-248  Online  Cases: DuPont, Dixie, Opus One  Misc: TMEP excerpts, Cases for Discussion, Sample Responses, Sample Consent to Registration