El Gato’s Fruta Loco

Abstract:     
This brief article proves to be a cautionary tale about applying (and not applying) for trademark protection for your business's name. A Maryland business owner was expanding his business by opening new stores in different locations, and didn't think that applying for trademark protection for his business's name was that important. However, a competing business with pretty much the same product applied for trademark protection using a business name in a different language but with the same meaning as the Maryland business. This piece discusses the ensuing developments and litigation, and how it was resolved.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 3

Keywords: case studies, trademark law, intellectual property, business names, trademark litigation, Maryland businesses

JEL Classification: L84, K19, K29, K39

working papers series