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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Hi Shabnam,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> Making that argument is just steering your ship directly into the rocks. Every examiner will just copy+paste the \u201cwe are not bound by other decisions\u201d citation and uphold their own rejection.
I\u2019m not aware of anyone who\u2019s directly made that challenge and succeeded.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> I\u2019ve pivoted to just making the strongest legal argument I can and not even mentioning the inconsistent treatment of marks. The closest I ever get is having a single throwaway paragraph that
starts with \u201cIn addition to the other evidence, the USPTO itself also does not typically [hold that same argument]. For example, in 324 other instances where the USPTO has examined this position, it has found differently and has only expressed a similar position
11 times.\u201d Obviously, you change the facts and argument according to the evidence you present.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> Even that seems to be a waste of time, honestly. I\u2019ve only had one examiner bite on that argument, and that was over a phone call where we were discussing things in an academic sense. If I
ever enter that argument I don\u2019t track my time to charge it to the client, if that lets you know how little I believe in its success.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> Hope that helps a bit, interested in the listserv\u2019s opinions as well.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Bob Reynolds</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Senior Counsel</span></b><span style="mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Klintworth &
<span style="color:#C00000">Rozenblat</span><span style="color:#1F497D"> </span>IP
</span></b><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">LLP</span></b><span style="mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">2045 W. Grand Ave, Ste B PMB 84396<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">Chicago, Illinois 60612<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">direct 773.770-2554 fax 773.570.3328<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><a href="mailto:rreynolds@kandrip.com" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:#0563C1">rreynolds@kandrip.com</span></a></span><span style="mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:standardcontextual"><a href="http://www.knrllp.com">www.knrllp.com</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual">CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail transmission, and any documents, files or previous e-mail messages attached to
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> E-trademarks <e-trademarks-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Shabnam Malek via E-trademarks<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, June 12, 2025 1:00 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> E-trademarks@oppedahl-lists.com<br>
<b>Cc:</b> Shabnam Malek <shabnam@brandandbranch.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [E-trademarks] Inconsistent examination\u2014case law?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hi brain trust,<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">I\u2019m wondering if any one has ever tried to argue inconsistent examination (with or without success) in response to a refusal? Along the lines of \u201cthe office has not issued a likelihood of confusion refusal consistently in examining several
other applications that contain the same or identical terms and in the instant case, it is now refusing registration based on a likelihood of confusion.\u201d And if so, do you have any case citations you\u2019d be willing to share? <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">I know we often get the response, essentially saying what happens in one application has nothing to do with any other application\u2026 but hoping someone has made an argument nonetheless. <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Thank you! <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Shabnam Malek<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">BRAND & BRANCH, PC<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">1531 17th Ave.<br>
San Francisco, CA 94122<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="tel:%28510%29%20984-4285" target="_blank">(510) 984-4285</a> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:shabnam@brandandbranch.com" target="_blank">shabnam@brandandbranch.com</a><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.brandandbranch.com/" target="_blank">www.brandandbranch.com</a><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
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<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Have you heard about the International Cannabis Bar Association? <a href="http://www.canbar.org/" target="_blank">Check us out</a> and use my name MALEK for a 15% discount on membership and events.</b><o:p></o:p></p>
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