Biosimilars beware – Trademarks are important too!
The Federal Court of Appeal confirmed that the name BYOOVIZ (for an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor [anti-VEGF] biosimilar) infringed and passed off...Read More
From skinny to slim: Former distributor’s dishonest dealings earn interlocutory injunction
New Skinny Mixes, a US manufacturer of sugar-free coffee syrups and low-calorie cocktail mixes, secured an interlocutory injunction against its former Canadian...Read More
New evidence of use overturns trademark expungement
In this trademarks appeal brought pursuant to section 56 of the Trademarks Act, the Federal Court overturned a decision by the Registrar...Read More
Storm in a teacup: Guangzhou Wanglaoji Grand Health Co, Ltd v Multi Access Ltd
In a recent case before the Federal Court, Guangzhou Wanglaoji Grand Health Co. appealed seven decisions by the Registrar of Trademarks to...Read More
FIAL’s GALPERTI trademark allowed: New evidence on appeal establishes prior use
Background FIAL Finanziaria Industrie Alto Lario SPA appealed a decision of the Trademarks Opposition Board allowing an opposition by Galperti SRL concerning...Read More
New evidence on appeal demonstrates use of TRAUMEEL mark during relevant period
Background In Biologische Heilmittel Heel GmbH v. Barrette Legal Inc., the Federal Court granted an appeal pursuant to section 56 of the Trademarks...Read More
Counter(defeated): Louis Vuitton awarded compensatory and punitive damages
In a recent summary trial decision of the Federal Court, Justice McHaffie found multiple defendants selling counterfeit Louis Vuitton goods liable for...Read More
A Wanakome divided: Wanakome v Martin
Overview In a recent trademark and copyright case, Wanakome Inc. filed suit against Eric and Kara Martin and their company, Park Enterprises Worldwide Inc., under subsections 7(b), (c) and...Read More
Battery battle: Duracell’s good faith sparks win over legal costs
Energizer and Gillette (Duracell) could not settle on costs following a decision of the Federal Court. Although Energizer was awarded an injunction...Read More
No, no, no, no, don’t PUNK with Brewdog’s Trademark
In 2024 FC 891, Justice Tsimberis dismissed PDM’s appeal of the Trademarks Opposition Board’s decision to deny PDM’s trademark (“TM”) application for...Read More
Federal Court resurrects trademark registration for Red Maple Manufacturing
Red Maple Manufacturing Inc. (RMM) successfully appealed a decision of the Trademarks Opposition Board, which amended its trademark registration to delete the...Read More
Every cat has its Filadae: Panthera motorsports takes on Jaguar Land Rover and wins!
Branding is a serious business in the automotive industry. Companies go to great lengths to protect their trademarks, sometimes leading to disputes....Read More
A cautionary tale on appealing trademark oppositions: Trouble with narrowing distinctiveness grounds and website analytics
In D.M.C. SRL v Giusti, DMC appealed the Trademarks Opposition Board’s rejection of their opposition of Giusti’s trademark application no. 1,611,381. Giusti...Read More
In trademark appeal, Federal Court finds survey evidence inadmissible due to reliability and validity issues
Background In Promotion in Motion Inc. v. Hershey Chocolate & Confectionery LLC, the Federal Court dismissed an appeal brought under section 56 of...Read More
Seven years of delay invites dismissal
On April 25, 2017, Vermillion filed an application seeking expungement of Green Circle’s Green Circle Salons and Design mark. Seven years later,...Read More
A bittersweet default judgment for Honey
The Federal Court granted default judgment in favour of Heather McDowell, owner of Toronto-based fashion boutique Honey, against the online boutique “A...Read More
Minor design elements will not rack the casual consumer’s brain
King Rack filed a trademark application seeking registration of its BUZZRACK design mark based on use in association with various rack-style carriers...Read More
Assessing TM Confusion: Patients Matter
Novartis v. Biogen involves claims of trademark infringement, passing off and depreciation of goodwill and raises several interesting issues. The Applicants, Novartis...Read More
Coors toasts its victory in maintaining its trademark registrations for “The Champagne of Beers”
Background In Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne v. Coors Brewing Company, the Federal Court dismissed the Applicants’ appeal of a decision...Read More
Provisional injunction granted: no “unclean hands” in royalty dispute
In Cameo Knitting v Kodiak Group Holdings (2024 QCCS 292), the Quebec Court of Appeal decided whether to issue a provisional injunction...Read More
A triumph in trademark appeal: Backordered realities
Finastra International Ltd. v Fenestrae B.V. is an appeal from a Trademark Opposition Board decision to maintain certain goods and services on...Read More
False IP complainants get shrunken bank accounts
Keezio Group and The Shrunks’ Family Toy Company were market competitors who sold inflatable beds for children through Amazon.com. Keezio brought a...Read More
Adidas cannot use “Terrex” name for W. 4th Ave store in Vancouver
The British Columbia Supreme Court issued an interlocutory injunction against adidas Canada, restraining it from using “TERREX” as the name of its...Read More
Harley-Davidson cruises to victory in defending its trademarks
Background Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Inc. v. Montréal Production Inc., 2023 FC 1727 consisted of the appeals of decisions from the Trademarks Opposition...Read More
A tale of two DRAGONAS
This case involves two related companies that had been using the same trademark based on an informal understanding. After many years of...Read More