<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>David:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>You are not alone. I had the same thing happen to me within the past month or so. In my situation, following the descriptiveness rejection, the client opted for the Supplemental Register. After amending to the Supplemental Register, the examining attorney apparently decided to actually search and uncovered what he asserted was a conflicting mark, which I am now addressing. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Had I known of the allegedly conflicting mark, I would not have gone to the Supplemental Register; but would have argued both matters in the application as filed.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I feel your pain.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ed Welch<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> E-trademarks <e-trademarks-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com> <b>On Behalf Of </b>David Lizerbram via E-trademarks<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, January 30, 2024 4:47 PM<br><b>To:</b> e-trademarks@oppedahl-lists.com<br><b>Cc:</b> David Lizerbram <david@lizerbramlaw.com><br><b>Subject:</b> [E-trademarks] Conflicting Marks Found in Second Office Action<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'>Is it me or is this happening more often - you receive a first Non-Final Action on some grounds (e.g. descriptiveness) and it states that no conflicting marks were found, you file a response, the arguments in the response are accepted, but then you receive a second Non-Final Action from the Examining Attorney finding allegedly conflicting marks and refusing registration on a 2(d) basis?</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'>In the current case, the first OA was a 2(e)(1) descriptiveness refusal. Rather than go Supplemental, the client wanted me to push back and I was successfully able to respond...but the second OA cites several allegedly conflicting marks, so it's likely that now the mark won't register at all, or at least not without an expensive back-and-forth when they've already paid for one (successful!) Response. Whereas if they had gone Supplemental after the first OA, the application probably wouldn't have received another look, and the mark would have registered. So they're worse off than they were before.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'>I don't know how to advise clients when this happens - in my 20 years of doing this, typically if no conflicts are found in the first round, then I can tell the client that the USPTO didn't find any conflicts and we can deal with the other issues in the OA and they'll most likely receive a registration. Now I feel like I have to tell the client, for example, "You can pay me to draft and file a Response to the Office Action, which might succeed, but then the Examining Attorney might discover allegedly conflicting marks and you'll end up with nothing."</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'>Maybe my experience is unusual, and this has always been the case. It just seems like a recent phenomenon to me.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'>Best,<br>David</span><o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>-- <br><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'>David Lizerbram, Business/Trademark Lawyer <br><br>Host of <strong><i><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'>Intangible Assets</span></i></strong>, a podcast by and for the Intellectual Property Law Section of the California Lawyers Association. Available on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/intangible-assets-the-ip-law-section-podcast/id1480886599" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a> and at <a href="https://calawyers.org/intellectual-property-law/intangible-assets-a-podcast-by-and-for-the-cla-ip-section/" target="_blank">the IP Law Section website</a>, and <strong><i><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'>Products of the Mind</span></i></strong>, a #1 ranked podcast about the intersection of business + creativity. Available on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/products-of-the-mind/id1051432794" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a> and at <a href="http://productsofthemind.net/" target="_blank">ProductsOfTheMind.net</a>. <br><br>Co-host of <strong><i><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'><a href="https://linktr.ee/rockdocspod">Rock Docs</a></span></i></strong>: A Podcast About Music Documentaries <br><br>Co-host of <strong><i><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'><a href="https://linktr.ee/littleslugger?lt_utm_source=lt_admin_share_link#330252236">Little Slugger</a></span></i></strong>, my 6-year-old's podcast about baseball <br><br>David Lizerbram & Associates® <br><br>3180 University Avenue, Suite 260<br>San Diego, California 92104<br>(619) 517-2272<br>Twitter: <a href="http://www.Twitter.com/davidlizerbram">Twitter.com/davidlizerbram</a> <br>Facebook Page: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/davidlizerbramandassociates">Facebook.com/DavidLizerbramAndAssociates</a> <br>Website: <a href="http://www.LizerbramLaw.com">www.LizerbramLaw.com</a> <br>Blog: <a href="http://www.LizerbramLaw.com/blog/">www.LizerbramLaw.com/blog</a> <br><br>NOTICE: This e-mail message and all attachments transmitted with it are intended solely for the use of the addressee and may contain legally privileged and confidential information. 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