Missing the (Lex)Mark – What Is the Proper Standing Test Before the USPTO?
Following a Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) decision and corresponding Federal Circuit appeal finding that she did not have standing to oppose registration of a RAPUNZEL mark for dolls,...
Director Discretion: A Sotera Stipulation Does Not Mandate Institution
In Re MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS, INC. Before Dyk, Linn, and Cunningham Summary: The PTO Director has unreviewable discretion to deny institution of IPR proceedings in view of parallel proceedings, even when...
Green With Envy: When Your Color Trademark Turns Out to Be Generic
PT Medisafe Technologies (“Medisafe”) has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to review a Federal Circuit decision upholding the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board’s (“TTAB”) refusal to register Medisafe’s dark green...
From Cute to Criminal: The Counterfeit Labubu Crisis in the United States
In the world of designer toys, few characters have captured hearts, and consumer sales, quite like Labubu. Created by artist Kasing Lung, and popularized by Chinese company Pop Mart, Labubu...
Knobbe Martens Secures TTAB Victory for BW Essentials LLC in Trademark Opposition Over “TROOMY” Brand
IRVINE, Calif., October 22, 2025 – A team from Knobbe Martens successfully represented BW Essentials LLC, maker of Troomy Nootropics supplements, in a contested trademark opposition before the U.S. Patent...
Knobbe Martens Names New Chairs of Market-Leading Trademark and Brand Protection Group
IRVINE, Calif., October 22, 2025 – Knobbe Martens, one of the nation’s largest intellectual property law firms, is pleased to announce that Charlene Azema and Gregory Phillips have been named...
Cooperation With a Restriction Requirement May Result in Disavowal of Claim Scope
FOCUS PRODUCTS GROUP INTERNATIONAL, LLC v. KARTRI SALES CO., INC. Before Moore, Clevenger, and Chen. Appeal from United States District Court for the Southern District of New York Summary: Repeatedly acquiescing...
No URLs, No Liability: Court Finds Online Marketplace Not Liable for Contributory Infringement
MICROTECH KNIVES, INC. v. OUTDOORS ONLINE, LLC AND JON JANECEK Before: The Honorable Victoria Marie Calvert Summary: The district court granted summary judgment to defendant, an online marketplace accused of...
Not Clear Enough: The TTAB’s Standard for the Registrability of All-Purpose Word Marks Lacked Clarity
IN RE: ERIK BRUNETTI Before Lourie, Dyk, and Reyna. Appeal from the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Summary: The Federal Circuit vacated and remanded a decision of the Trademark Trial and...
Dozens of Knobbe Martens Lawyers Featured in “Best Lawyers” 2026 Guide
IRVINE, Calif., August 21, 2025 – Knobbe Martens is pleased to share that dozens of the firm’s lawyers, representing a range of practice areas and offices across the country, have...
Can § 101 Carry the Weight?
POWERBLOCK HOLDING, INC. v. IFIT, INC. Before Taranto, Stoll, and District Judge Scarsi. Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Utah. Summary: Under step one of the...
Sunkist Squeezes Out a Win and Kisses Kist Goodbye!
SUNKIST GROWERS, INC. v. INTRASTATE DISTRIBUTORS, INC. Before Prost, Taranto, and Stark. Appeal from the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Summary: The TTAB incorrectly found that similar trademarks created distinct commercial...
Ten Knobbe Martens Partners Named Among 2025 IP Stars by Managing IP
Partner Susan Natland repeats as among Top 250 Women in IP IRVINE, Calif., June 10, 2025 – Knobbe Martens is proud to share that ten of the firm’s partners have...
2025 Chambers USA Guide Honors Standout Knobbe Martens Partners and Practices
Firm ranks highly in life sciences, patent litigation, patent prosecution, and trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets, recognized for “five-star” client service IRVINE, Calif. & SEATTLE, June 6, 2025 – Knobbe Martens...
Fireball Frenzy: When First Registering a Mark, Genericness of a Mark Is Determined at the Time of Registration
BULLSHINE DISTILLERY LLC v. SAZERAC BRANDS, LLC Before Moore, Reyna and Taranto. Appeal from the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Summary: In assessing genericness, the TTAB considers how the mark...
U.S. Supreme Court Defers to Agency Decision-Making in FDA’s Denial of Premarket Approval of Flavored E-Cigarette Products
We previously reported a decision by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), denying the premarketing authorization of several flavored e-cigarette product.[1] On April 2, 2025, the Supreme Court of...
Pulling the Cord on Unstated Claims Limitations
IQRIS TECHNOLOGIES LLC v. POINT BLANK ENTERPRISES, INC. Before Lourie, Linn, and Stoll. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida Summary: The district court...
Federal Circuit’s Lashify Decision Expands “Domestic Industry” at the International Trade Commission
Lashify, Inc. v. International Trade Commission Before: Prost, Taranto, and Chen. Appeal from ITC Investigation. Summary: The Federal Circuit expands the economic prong of the domestic-industry analysis to include domestic...
3rd Annual MCLE-a-thon: Navigating False Advertising Claims
As part of the firm’s 3rd annual MCLE-a-thon, partners Jonathan Hyman and Matthew Bellinger explore the latest developments in false advertising litigation. Jonathan and Matt discuss significant laws and cases...
In Nutrition Industry Executive Article, Knobbe Martens Attorneys Recommend Strategies to Avoid Advertising Pitfalls
In the article “Checking on Supplements: NAD’s Recent Guidance on Substantiating Ingredient vs. Product Claims,” attorneys Jonathan Hyman, Kate McMorrow, and Zoe Vikstrom examine a recent National Advertising Division (NAD)...
Knobbe Martens Partner Jessica Sganga Named Among “Beauty and Fashion Visionaries” by Los Angeles Times
LOS ANGELES, September 16, 2024 – Knobbe Martens is pleased to share that partner Jessica Sganga has been recognized as a “Beauty and Fashion Visionary” by the Los Angeles Times....
