[E-trademarks] Trademark Examination Vent: How does this even happen?

Thu May 9 17:00:55 EDT 2024

I’m familiar with the companion application practice. In this case, the only similarity of the other applications I identified was the applicant: an individual (not a company) from China. The marks were very dissimilar, and the goods even more dissimilar.

Moreover, of the 11 pending applications filed by this individual, there appear to be several others filed within a day or two, or perhaps within 1-2 weeks, of the one I first wrote about which, according to TSDR, are simply waiting their turn to be assigned to an examiner.

Something seems terribly amiss.

Leesa N. Weiss
Partner
[data:image/png;base64,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]
9801 Washingtonian Boulevard, Suite 750
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
lweiss at esfip.com
Direct:  240-864-2472
Fax:  301-762-4056

Information contained within this email and its attachments, if any, may be confidential and/or privileged. This email is intended to be reviewed only by the individual to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient or an authorized representative of the intended recipient, please be aware that any review, dissemination, or copying of the information contained within this email and its attachments, if any, is prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please immediately notify me by return email and delete this email from your system.
From: E-trademarks <e-trademarks-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com> On Behalf Of Todd Owers via E-trademarks
Sent: Thursday, May 9, 2024 4:52 PM
To: 'e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com' <e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com>
Cc: Todd Owers <owers at carverdarden.com>
Subject: Re: [E-trademarks] Trademark Examination Vent: How does this even happen?

As Susan noted, office policy is to assign “companion applications” from the same applicant to one examining attorney for efficiency.  TMEP §702.03(a)(i) addresses this practice as follows (emphasis added):

If an applicant has multiple pending applications, the issues in the applications are likely to be similar.  When assigned a new application, an examining attorney will be assigned the companion applications filed within three months of the filing date of the first assigned application.  If an applicant files more than ten applications within a three‑month period, only the first ten will be assigned to one examining attorney.  Examining attorneys are encouraged to assign all unassigned companion applications for the same or similar marks to themselves, even if the applications were filed outside the three-month period. However, any companion applications may only be self-assigned by the examining attorney at the time of initial examination of the new application.

The assignment of companion applications is done electronically, based upon the owner’s name as set forth in the application.  Therefore, the owner’s name should be set forth consistently in all applications.

Todd Owers
Carver, Darden, Koretzky, Tessier, Finn, Blossman & Areaux, LLC
1100 Poydras Street, Suite 3100
New Orleans, Louisiana 70163
(504) 585-3811
owers at carverdarden.com<mailto:owers at carverdarden.com>

From: E-trademarks <e-trademarks-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com<mailto:e-trademarks-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com>> On Behalf Of Crane, Susan via E-trademarks
Sent: Thursday, May 9, 2024 11:52 AM
To: For trademark practitioners. This is not for laypersons to seek legal advice. <e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com<mailto:e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com>>
Cc: Crane, Susan <susan.crane at wyndham.com<mailto:susan.crane at wyndham.com>>
Subject: Re: [E-trademarks] Trademark Examination Vent: How does this even happen?

[EXT]

The office policy is to assign all (of at least some) applications from the same applicant to one examining attorney for efficiency. So this happens sometimes.
Susan L. Crane
Group Vice President, Legal
Intellectual Property, Brands & Marketing

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Inc.
22 Sylvan Way
Parsippany, NJ 07054
O (973) 753-6455
M (973) 879-3420
Susan.Crane at wyndham.Com<mailto:Susan.Crane at wyndham.Com>

On May 9, 2024, at 12:07 PM, Leesa N. Weiss via E-trademarks <e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com<mailto:e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com>> wrote:

Susan, You hit on something! This is an individual applicant, a Chinese citizen. They (he/she?) have 11 pending applications, some filed in 2023 and taking the normal course of action. (Note: all of the marks are for goods all over the place;
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Susan,

You hit on something! This is an individual applicant, a Chinese citizen. They (he/she?) have 11 pending applications, some filed in 2023 and taking the normal course of action. (Note: all of the marks are for goods all over the place; the marks are mostly unpronounceable combinations of consonants with a few vowels here and there.)

But, I did note one of the applications was filed right around the time of the one I’m complaining of, was assigned to the same examiner, and also has been published for opposition. The goods in this application are very far afield from the ones in the application I’m concerned about. (Filed March 8, 2024 and published April 30, 2024)

I’d like to know how these two applications jumped the line and landed with the same examiner?

I wish we could get paid for this type of aggravation!

Thanks!

Leesa N. Weiss
Partner
[cid:image001.png at 01DAA231.C23BD810]
9801 Washingtonian Boulevard, Suite 750
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
lweiss at esfip.com<mailto:lweiss at esfip.com>
Direct:  240-864-2472
Fax:  301-762-4056

Information contained within this email and its attachments, if any, may be confidential and/or privileged. This email is intended to be reviewed only by the individual to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient or an authorized representative of the intended recipient, please be aware that any review, dissemination, or copying of the information contained within this email and its attachments, if any, is prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please immediately notify me by return email and delete this email from your system.
From: E-trademarks <e-trademarks-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com<mailto:e-trademarks-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com>> On Behalf Of Crane, Susan via E-trademarks
Sent: Thursday, May 9, 2024 11:51 AM
To: For trademark practitioners. This is not for laypersons to seek legal advice. <e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com<mailto:e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com>>
Cc: Crane, Susan <susan.crane at wyndham.com<mailto:susan.crane at wyndham.com>>
Subject: Re: [E-trademarks] Trademark Examination Vent: How does this even happen?

CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.

Does the applicant have other marks that were filed 9 months ago – they may have gotten incredibly lucky in a same owner sweep.

Susan L. Crane
Group Vice President, Legal
Intellectual Property, Brands & Marketing

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Inc.
22 Sylvan Way
Parsippany, NJ 07054
O (973) 753-6455
M (973) 879-3420
Susan.Crane at wyndham.com<mailto:Susan.Crane at wyndham.com>

From: E-trademarks <e-trademarks-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com<mailto:e-trademarks-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com>> On Behalf Of Tim Ackermann via E-trademarks
Sent: Thursday, May 9, 2024 11:10 AM
To: For trademark practitioners. This is not for laypersons to seek legal advice. <e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com<mailto:e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com>>
Cc: Tim Ackermann <tim at ackermannlaw.com<mailto:tim at ackermannlaw.com>>
Subject: Re: [E-trademarks] Trademark Examination Vent: How does this even happen?

Wow - 20 days to Approved! On Thu, May 9, 2024, 10: 07 Leesa N. Weiss via E-trademarks <e-trademarks@ oppedahl-lists. com> wrote: This morning, one of the watch services with which one of my client’s trademarks is listed sent me a notice
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Wow - 20 days to Approved!

On Thu, May 9, 2024, 10:07 Leesa N. Weiss via E-trademarks <e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com<mailto:e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com>> wrote:
This morning, one of the watch services with which one of my client’s trademarks is listed sent me a notice of a U.S. application published for opposition at the end of April. It’s a use-based application filed under Section 1(a) utilizing TEASPlus; the 23 goods identified within the single class do not fit neatly into one category. The specimen is definitely suspect: a print out from a questionable online website from which one of the products allegedly was purchased and depicts what appears to be a photograph of a product on which the subject trademark appears to be photoshopped and misspelled!

The TSDR file history is as follows (note the dates!):

[cid:image001.png at 01DAA1FE.660464A0]

As of this morning, the status dates for new applications being reached for examination reads:

[cid:image002.png at 01DAA1FF.131E3490]
Apart from having to file an opposition to which the applicant likely will not answer, is there an office or individual to whom one can complain at the PTO regarding these issues? My client’s mark and the published mark, both in the same class and identify a number of the same goods, differ by a single letter.

Vent over and, if you’ve read this far, thank you.

Leesa

Leesa N. Weiss
Partner

9801 Washingtonian Boulevard, Suite 750
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
lweiss at esfip.com<mailto:lweiss at esfip.com>
Direct:  240-864-2472
Fax:  301-762-4056

Information contained within this email and its attachments, if any, may be confidential and/or privileged. This email is intended to be reviewed only by the individual to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient or an authorized representative of the intended recipient, please be aware that any review, dissemination, or copying of the information contained within this email and its attachments, if any, is prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please immediately notify me by return email and delete this email from your system.
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