[E-trademarks] Privilege question

Wed Mar 27 09:57:37 EDT 2024

See this case for some thoughts on the matter:

The TTABlog<sup>(r)</sup>: TTAB Denies Petition to Disqualify Opposer's Attorney for Signing Applications<http://thettablog.blogspot.com/2015/04/ttab-denies-petition-to-disqualify.html>

JLW

[cid:image001.png at 01DA802D.0D9A7180]

John L. Welch
Counsel
Admitted to Practice: Massachusetts, New York, and Washington, DC
jwelch at WolfGreenfield.com<mailto:jwelch at WolfGreenfield.com>
Tel. 617.646.8285
[cid:image002.jpg at 01DA802D.0D9A7180]<http://thettablog.blogspot.com/>

Wolf, Greenfield & Sacks, P.C.
BOSTON | NEW YORK | WASHINGTON DC

wolfgreenfield.com<https://www.wolfgreenfield.com/>  [cid:image003.png at 01DA802D.0D9A7180] <https://www.linkedin.com/company/wolf-greenfield/>  [cid:image004.png at 01DA802D.0D9A7180] <https://twitter.com/wolfgreenfield>

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From: E-trademarks <e-trademarks-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com> On Behalf Of Janet Satterthwaite via E-trademarks
Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2024 9:47 AM
To: Jessica R. Friedman via E-trademarks <e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com>
Cc: Janet Satterthwaite <jsatterthwaite at potomaclaw.com>
Subject: [E-trademarks] Privilege question

Colleagues,

I am continually amazed to see how many lawyers are routinely signing trademark applications and Section 8 declarations.

This is not a good idea!!!!

When a lawyer signs a Section 8 or Section 71 declaration for some foreign-based kitchen-sink registration, and there is later a cancellation action based on the suspicion that the mark was not in fact in use on all the goods or services, but was in fact abandoned,  that lawyer IMHO becomes a fact witness and is going to be deposed.

I also assume that any communication between him and the client regarding inquiring as to the use of the mark is not privileged, as it becomes evidence of the due diligence done by the person who signed the declaration.

Has anyone actually litigated this issue?

thx

Janet

Janet F. Satterthwaite|Partner/ Chair, Trademark Practice|Potomac Law Group, PLLC

1717 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 1025

Washington, D.C. 20006

202-486-1578
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[https://ukwest1-mediap.svc.ms/transform/thumbnail?provider=spo&inputFormat=png&cs=fFNQTw&docid=https%3A%2F%2Fglobebpcrm.sharepoint.com%3A443%2F_api%2Fv2.0%2Fdrives%2Fb!TQZR2-2SPE2ijySca0RSk9GWpi3pTptJqpI2GM317RV0fn8ZfIBsSZ9rpY5T6aYk%2Fitems%2F0154SFYISYVY4G5S2PLJG32IIOCE4C4SJE%3Fversion%3DPublished&access_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJub25lIn0.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.bHVQeUl3TFNnejFLTVMzeERRV2JRaGhmK1luUHNSNmtwVG82cFgwZytVbz0&cTag=%22c%3A%7B6E38AE58-4FCB-4D5A-BD21-0E11382E4924%7D%2C2%22&encodeFailures=1&width=717&height=213&srcWidth=717&srcHeight=213]
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