Prosecution Statements Can Create Substantial Questions of Noninfringement at the Preliminary Injunction Stage
Ridge Corp., et al. v. Kirk NationaLease Co., et al. Before Dyk, Mayer, and Taranto. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. Summary: A...
Dozens of Knobbe Martens Lawyers Recognized in 2027 Best Lawyers in America Guides
IRVINE, Calif., August 20, 2026 – Leading intellectual property law firm Knobbe Martens is pleased to share that more than 40 firm lawyers have been featured in the 2027 editions...
Greg Phillips Quoted in MLex on Ninth Circuit Jack Daniel’s Trademark Ruling
In an interview with MLex, Knobbe Martens partner Greg Phillips discussed the impact of a recent ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit regarding trademark dilution,...
Knobbe Martens Names Harnik Shukla and Bryan McWhorter Co-Chairs of Artificial Intelligence Practice
New co-chairs will guide strategy and focus of firm’s longstanding work at the intersection of AI and intellectual property IRVINE, Calif. and SEATTLE, August 4, 2026 – Leading intellectual property law firm Knobbe Martens is...
Priyanka Menon and Greg Phillips Explore Trader Joe’s and Smucker’s Trademark Dispute in Washington State Bar News Article
In an article published in the Washington State Bar News, Knobbe Martens lawyers Priyanka Menon and Greg Phillips, together with Washington-based IP lawyer Allison R. Foreman, examine trademark and brand...
Va-Va-Voom? Not So Fast, Says the TTAB
Key Takeaways: Descriptive additions to composite trademarks, especially those disclaimed by the applicant, will rarely overcome a Section 2(d) likelihood of confusion where the dominant term is identical. Critically, arguments...
Not All Mifflins Are Equal: When Commercial Impression Saves the Day
Key Takeaway: Even where goods are identical or closely related, the TTAB continues to place significant weight on differences in commercial impression. A mark’s meaning, whether driven by pop culture...
Joseph Gerber Featured in Am Law’s “How I Made Partner” Series
Knobbe Martens partner Joseph Gerber shared insights and perspectives on his career path, the importance of mentorship, and his approach to client service in Am Law’s “How I Made Partner”...
Brian Horne Named Among Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2026 “Leaders of Influence: Litigators & Trial Attorneys”
LOS ANGELES, July 16, 2026 – Knobbe Martens is pleased to share that litigation partner Brian Horne was recognized in the 2026 edition of Los Angeles Business Journal’s “Leaders of...
Knobbe Martens Secures Victory for SharkNinja with Dismissal of Patent Infringement Lawsuit
IRVINE, Calif., July 9, 2026 – A team from leading intellectual property law firm Knobbe Martens delivered a significant win for consumer products company, SharkNinja (NYSE: SN), with the successful...
Greg Phillips Speaks With World Trademark Review on Trader Joe’s Trademark Infringement and Anti-Counterfeiting Suit
Knobbe Martens partner Greg Phillips, Co-Chair of the firm’s Trademark and Brand Protection practice, was quoted extensively in the recent World Trademark Review article, “Trader Joe’s Targets US Distributors in...
Knobbe Martens, Dozens of Partners Receive Top Rankings in IP Law in Legal 500 USA Guide
IRVINE, Calif., June 11, 2026 – Knobbe Martens, a leading intellectual property law firm, is proud to share that the firm and three dozen lawyers received national and regional recognition...
Sheila Swaroop Named “Patent Lawyer of the Year” at 2026 IFLR Women in Business Law Awards
IRVINE, Calif., May 29, 2026 – Knobbe Martens is pleased to share that Sheila Swaroop, Chair of Knobbe Martens’ Litigation practice, was named the “North America Patent Lawyer of the...
How Ignoring Disclosed Structure Can Derail a Means-Plus-Function Case
GENUINE ENABLING TECHNOLOGY LLC v. SONY GROUP CORPORATION Before Dyk, Taranto, and Chen. Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Delaware. Summary: The Federal Circuit affirmed summary judgment...
Conceptual Similarity Does Not Go Arm in Arm With Substantial Similarity
RANGE OF MOTION PRODUCTS, LLC v. ARMAID COMPANY INC. Before Moore, Cunningham, and Hughes. Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Maine. Summary: Functional aspects of...
In Rare Win for an Applicant, Federal Circuit Reverses TTAB’s Determination That Mark Kahwa Was Not Registerable
Bayou Grande Coffee Roasting Company (“Bayou Grande”), a coffee company based out of St. Petersburg, Florida, faced a long and winding road to register its mark KAHWA in connection with...
Battle of the PB&J: Smucker’s Is Crusty Over Trader Joe’s Private Label Sandwich
If you have a kid, or play in the NFL, you are likely familiar with The J.M. Smucker Company UNCRUSTABLES® a pre-made PB&J sandwich. According to The New York Times,...
Navigating Consent Agreements: Lessons from In re Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla
In October 2025, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“Board”) issued a precedential opinion that offers lessons on the limits of consent agreements in overcoming likelihood of confusion (section 2(d))...
(Intend To) Use It or Lose It: Proving Bona Fide Intent Before the TTAB
In a precedential opinion issued in September 2025, the TTAB sustained the opposition of the mark, HOTEL EL ROBLAR, for hotel services in class 43, agreeing with the opposer that...
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...
