[E-trademarks] Dirt Candy TM Dispute

Fri Feb 14 22:46:56 UTC 2025

Probably TMI, but I've been to the NYC Dirt Candy restaurant and it was
delicious. It's one of the top vegan restaurants in the country. Eric.

Eric Goldman (he/him)
Associate Dean for Research and Professor, Santa Clara University School of
Law
Co-Director, High Tech Law Institute & Co-Supervisor, Privacy Law
Certificate
Email: egoldman at gmail.com
Personal website: https://www.ericgoldman.org
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On Fri, Feb 14, 2025 at 2:43 PM Crane, Susan via E-trademarks <
e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com> wrote:

> Jeremy, totally agree.  Trying to make themselves out as the victims here,
> as opposed to a hard working chef trying to survive in the most cutthroat
> restaurant market there is.  Which they should appreciate.
> If they could afford to hire a branding consultant for their little farm,
> they are not the innocent hippie types they are trying to portray
> themselves as.
>
>
>
> *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
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* E-trademarks <e-trademarks-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com> *On Behalf
> Of *Jeremy Green Eche via E-trademarks
> *Sent:* Friday, February 14, 2025 5:15 PM
> *To:* For trademark practitioners. This is not for laypersons to seek
> legal advice. <e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com>
> *Cc:* Jeremy Green Eche <jeremy at jpglegal.com>
> *Subject:* Re: [E-trademarks] Dirt Candy TM Dispute
>
>
>
> My God, the rich Texas family seems insufferable to me. "We won the
> lottery by buying property in Silicon Valley in the 1980s and selling it at
> an exorbitant price during a housing shortage caused by strict zoning laws,
> and now we want
>
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> My God, the rich Texas family seems insufferable to me. "We won the
> lottery by buying property in Silicon Valley in the 1980s and selling it at
> an exorbitant price during a housing shortage caused by strict zoning laws,
> and now we want to be able to steal somebody else's property and pretend
> we're too spiritual to worry about laws and money because we've already
> gotten enough money to make sure our kids never have to get a job."
>
>
>
> Regarding the conduct of the lawyers, I think that when somebody steals
> your brand name, you should send your lawyers after them. The restaurant
> owner has no obligation to spend time and energy working out a co-existence
> agreement with somebody she has no connection to just because they decided
> they want to infringe on her name. She should use her time and energy to
> run her business and live her life.
>
>
>
> On the other hand, if *my *client is the one whose application is
> rejected because somebody owns a similar trademark, then I do advise my
> client to reach out without getting me involved at first. But also, when my
> clients use somebody else's brand name in the same broader industry, I make
> sure to tell them with no sugarcoating, "You chose a name that was already
> taken. The best course of action is to pick a new name."
>
>
> —
>
>
>
> Jeremy
>
>
>
> Jeremy Peter Green Eche
> Founder and Managing Attorney, JPG Legal
>
> Office: (917) 268-7054 | Direct: (917) 310-2207
>
>
>
> www.jpglegal.com
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>
> 254 36th St, Suite B541
> Brooklyn, NY 11232
>
>
>
>
>
> On Fri, Feb 14, 2025 at 3:36 PM Sam Castree via E-trademarks <
> e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com> wrote:
>
> Agreed.  I've told many a client that, while I'd be happy to get involved
> in things, it can really change the dynamic when suddenly the lawyers get
> brought in.  Coaching from the shadows is often the way to go.
>
>
> Cheers,
>
>
>
> Sam Castree, III
>
>
>
> *Sam Castree Law, LLC*
>
> *3421 W. Elm St.*
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>
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>
>
> On Fri, Feb 14, 2025 at 2:29 PM Cumbow, Bob via E-trademarks <
> e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com> wrote:
>
> So glad to see that so many of my colleagues agree with what I've learned
> during my time as an attorney: We always get a better results if we see
> ourselves as collaborators rather than combatants.
>
> *Bob*
>
> * Cumbow*
>
> Partner
>
> *Miller Nash LLP*
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: E-trademarks <e-trademarks-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com> On Behalf Of
> Eric Morton via E-trademarks
> Sent: Friday, February 14, 2025 11:48 AM
> To: For trademark practitioners. This is not for laypersons to seek legal
> advice. <e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com>
> Cc: Eric Morton <emorton at clearskylaw.com>
> Subject: Re: [E-trademarks] Dirt Candy TM Dispute
>
> [EXTERNAL MESSAGE: This email originated from outside of the firm. Do not
> click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know
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>
> I heartily concur. I tell my clients to talk to me before they negotiate
> and after they negotiate, but leave the lawyers out of the negotiations.
>
> --
> Eric D. Morton
> Attorney
> Clear Sky Law Group, P.C.
> 1300 Clay St., Ste. 600, Oakland, CA 94612
> P: (510) 556-0367 / (760) 722-6582
> F: (510) 751-4598
> emorton at clearskylaw.com
> http://www.clearskylaw.com
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>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: E-trademarks <e-trademarks-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com> On Behalf Of
> Carl Oppedahl via E-trademarks
> Sent: Friday, February 14, 2025 11:29 AM
> To: For trademark practitioners. This is not for laypersons to seek legal
> advice. <e-trademarks at oppedahl-lists.com>
> Cc: Carl Oppedahl <carl at oppedahl.com>
> Subject: Re: [E-trademarks] Dirt Candy TM Dispute
>
>  Over the span of many years, I have seen many situations where the step
> of getting lawyers into the situation made things far worse instead of
> better.  Many times my suspicion is that most of the blame would lie with
> one of the lawyers and not the other. That the blameworthy lawyer would
> either consciously or subconsciously select the behavior path that would
> make the most money for the lawyer, regardless of whether this would align
> with the interests of that lawyer's client.
>
> There are many times where I ended up coaching my client about stuff, and
> then I suggested my client speak person-to-person with the nonlawyer human
> being on the other side.  And the clients would come back with a deal
> sketched onto a cocktail napkin.  The lawyers were then told "make it so".
>
> And even then I can think of many times where once again the introduction
> of the lawyers into the situation, post-cocktail-napkin, ruined
> everything.  And again I would have the suspicion that most of the blame
> would lie with one of the lawyers.
>
> Early in my law career some very seasoned lawyer tried to explain to me
> what the phrase "attorney and counselor-at-law" might mean in a better
> world.   That the service provider ought to be a counselor as well as (or
> sometimes instead of) being an aggressor.
>
> On 2/14/2025 11:50 AM, Pamela Chestek via E-trademarks wrote:
> >
> > On 2/14/2025 10:23 AM, Miriam Richter, Esq. via E-trademarks wrote:
> >> one month to rebrand is unrealistic in the best situation and use of
> >> the term “unlawful violation” in a “supportive” C&D is not conducive
> >> to warm and fuzzy feelings
> > Hear, hear. The client asked for a "nice" cease and desist letter and
> > this sounds anything but nice to me.
> >
> > Pam
> >
> > Pamela S. Chestek
> > Chestek Legal
> > PLEASE NOTE OUR NEW MAILING ADDRESS
> > 4641 Post St.
> > Unit 4316
> > El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
> > +1 919-800-8033
> > pamela at chesteklegal.com
> > http://www.chesteklegal.com
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> >
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