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| St. Onge Steward Johnston & Reens LLC |
Practice Areas
Client Stories
Protecting a famous trademark
Some legal problems require creative and unusual solutions. For example, SSJR has helped The Wiffle Ball Inc. of Shelton, Connecticut protect and strengthen its famous Wiffle® Ball trademark. The challenge facing this family-owned business was protecting its mark without alienating its fans. By developing a Wiffle® Sanctioned Tournament program, SSJR helped make the fans part of the branding process. These efforts have confirmed the unique nature of the Wiffle® brand and affirmed its place as an iconic American trademark.
Fending off counterfeiters
Clients today face global challenges requiring solutions across several countries. SSJR client H.H. Brown Shoe Company, Inc. learned that one of its European distributors was marketing counterfeited footwear marked with H.H. Brown trademarks. SSJR aggressively pursued the infringer and its trading partners bringing simultaneous lawsuits in the United States, Denmark, and at the European Community Trademark Office. In the end, SSJR was able to stop the infringement at the source factory in Puerto Rico, obtain an injunction from the Federal District Court in New Jersey, force transfer of the infringing trademark registration in Europe and obtain a judgment for damages in Denmark.
Combining complaints into a single action
In a challenging economic environment, clients look to SSJR to solve their problems effectively and efficiently. When multiple SSJR clients were infringed by the same web-based counterfeiting business, the firm combined their complaints into a single action. SSJR obtained an ex-parte Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction on behalf of its clients and participated in the seizure raid that shut down the infringer’s operations.
Trademarks
The world of trademark law has changed dramatically in the past 20 years, and the constantly shifting landscape requires lawyers who can adjust quickly and implement strategies that take advantage of change. The Internet has altered the dynamics of branding, and businesses large and small, domiciled domestically and abroad face new opportunities and challenges. Whether you’re developing high-tech kayaks in your garage or managing portfolios boasting over 1,000 trademarks in dozens of countries, SSJR can help launch, grow and protect your business endeavors across the globe.
SSJR understands the myriad details and subtle nuances of trademark regulation worldwide. With more than a century of accomplishment and thousands of successful trademark prosecutions to our name, we bring more than just legal counsel to our client relationships. SSJR offers practical, cost-effective advice about product branding and global trademark laws and regulations. While other law firms frequently file numerous trademarks at great expense, SSJR focuses on filings that enhance the value of the portfolio, secure your position in the marketplace and fully meet your needs. We seek the maximum coverage for your intellectual property without incurring needless costs.
SSJR attorneys bring years of comprehensive trademark experience to bear on the selection, clearance and acquisition of your intellectual property matters. We routinely handle all elements of trademark practice, from the acquisition of trademark rights, to the enforcement of those rights, to licensing and other transactions to ensure the long-term security and integrity of your brand.
At SSJR, we consider your challenges our own and work hand-in-glove with each client to formulate successful intellectual property legal strategies that further your business goals — today and into the future.