Two professional pickleball leagues, both calling themselves the “National Pickleball League.” Two organizations using “NPL” to brand their operations. One federal courtroom in Oklahoma City where a judge will decide which league gets to keep the name that’s become central to their business identity. For one of these leagues, October 18, 2025 marked the beginning … Read more
Penn State University has reached a groundbreaking settlement in its trademark dispute over the phrase “For The Kids,” allowing nonprofits and charitable organizations to use the slogan royalty-free for pediatric cancer fundraising. This resolution, announced in August 2025, ends a two-year legal battle that began when a childhood cancer survivor challenged the university’s exclusive trademark … Read more
World Wrestling Entertainment’s trademark application for “Thunderdome,” filed on August 18, 2025, demonstrates smart brand protection strategy that extends far beyond the wrestling ring. As someone who has filed over 6,000 trademark applications and was named the #1 Trademark Attorney in the United States by The Trademark Insider, I see this filing as a textbook … Read more
In a federal courtroom in Oakland, California, the commercial future of an $18 billion company hung in the balance over a single word. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers found herself presiding over one of the most significant trademark disputes in the artificial intelligence era, as Perplexity AI fought to keep calling its revolutionary browser “Comet” against … Read more
The $118 Lululemon hoodie and the $8 Costco lookalike sitting side-by-side on a TikTok screen represent more than a price comparison. They’re the front lines of a legal battle that could reshape how every business protects its brand in the age of viral dupes. In July 2025, Lululemon filed a federal lawsuit against Costco that … Read more
In a smart business move that underscores the importance of proactive trademark protection, Britney Spears has officially filed a trademark for her upcoming jewelry line “B Tiny” with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The filing, submitted on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, represents more than just paperwork—it’s a masterclass in how celebrities and entrepreneurs … Read more
Tesla’s ambitious plans for autonomous vehicle domination just hit an unexpected legal roadblock. In May 2025, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) rejected Tesla’s trademark application for “Robotaxi,” calling the term “merely descriptive” and too generic for trademark protection. This rejection serves as a perfect case study in what happens when even tech … Read more