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Café Hon owner to give up trademark
Poke it with a fork, because it looks like the controversy over “HON” is done. Denise Whiting, the embattled owner of Café Hon in Hampden, said Monday she will give up the registered trademark she has on the word “HON.” Whiting added she did not fully appreciate the “passion” Baltimoreans have for the term of […]
Ravens logo designer sues Madden maker
With a stack of video games on his desk, Howard J. Schulman of Schulman & Kaufman LLC is about to embark on a discovery process that will make him the envy of thousands of teenage boys. Schulman is representing the designer of the Baltimore Ravens’ original “Flying B” logo, Frederick E. Bouchat, in Bouchat’s quest […]
Google-Motorola deal highlights patents as ‘legal weapons’
NEW YORK — When an Internet company plunks down $12.5 billion to buy a struggling cellphone company for its collection of patents, it’s another sign that, for the high-tech industry, patents have become a mallet wielded by corporations to pummel their competitors. Google Inc. announced the deal to buy Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. on Monday, […]
N.Y. judge rejects French shoe maker’s ‘red’ claims
NEW YORK — In a court case that has all sides seeing red, a judge said Wednesday that a French maker of luxury shoes worn by stars such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Scarlett Johansson and Halle Berry will likely fail in its effort to stop other shoemakers from producing high-heeled women’s shoes with red soles. […]
H. Ward Classen: Unlocking Hidden Value in Intellectual Property
As corporations seek to generate increased revenue and profit, they often overlook the hidden value within their existing assets. Specifically, many corporations fail to recognize the intrinsic value of their intellectual property. Savvy in-house counsel can help unlock that value by identifying and exploiting this important asset. Intellectual property is intangible property that results from [&h[...]
Lockheed challenges use of ‘Skunkworks’ name by gun maker
Defense contractor Lockheed Martin Corp. smelled something rotten when a Montana gun maker filed an application to trademark its name, Underground Skunkworks. One of Bethesda-based Lockheed’s most storied divisions is its Advanced Development Programs, more popularly known by its trademarked name — the Skunk Works. The secretive World War II-era airplane design facility has spawned […]
‘Duh, Winning’: Sheen moves to trademark phrases
LOS ANGELES — Not everyone may have Charlie Sheen’s “Adonis DNA” but people may soon be able to wear it, chew on it, drink it and experience it in a videogame. Within two weeks of Sheen’s firing from television’s top-rated comedy, a company with ties to the actor applied to trademark 22 of his catchphrases, […]
Ford sues Ferrari over use of F150 name for racing
DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. has sued Ferrari in Detroit federal court, saying the sports car maker has violated its trademark over the pickup truck name F-150. The suit is based on Ferrari’s naming of its new Formula 1 racing car the “F150,” and its creation of the website www.ferrarif150.com . The Dearborn-based Ford says […]
Cafe Hon’s Whiting apologizes for ‘hon’ trademark controversy
The owner of Hampden’s Café Hon issued a written apology Wednesday in an attempt to clear up the furor over the trademark she has of the term “hon.” Denise Whiting did not apologize for getting a trademark on the word “hon,” and did not say she planned to drop the legal protection she has on […]
Is there a ribbon for lawsuit awareness?
The Huffington Post reported last month that the Susan G. Komen for the Cure has filed trademark infringement lawsuits against other charities that use “for the cure” in their names. The story alleges Komen spends a $1 million a year in donor funds on such litigation. The foundation has more than 200 registered trademarks, and […]
Former Pizza Boli’s franchisee enjoined
A federal judge in Baltimore has granted in part a motion for a preliminary injunction against a former Pizza Boli’s franchisee in Washington, D.C., prohibiting him from using the company’s trademarks and operating the franchise restaurant. Baltimore-based franchisor Prosperity Systems Inc. terminated Nadeem Ali’s franchise agreement in July after he violated the contract by delivering [&hel[...]
It’s trademarked, Hon
I’m a native Coloradan, transplanted eight years ago to Charles Village, and re-transplanted this past spring to Hampden. My wife and I were sad to leave our beloved Charles Village—we still miss our regular walking route, the vitality imported in each fall by the Hopkins’ kids (and the accompanying relief every summer when we export […]
