Thread by @Zernerlaw

Here's the story about how @BarackObama and @PerkinsCoieLLP are trying to steal my client's trademark. 1/
bit.ly/2ZIqc5e

My client has been using the name Higher Ground Enterprises for her business for over 10 years and obtained a federal trademark in 2017. In May 2018, Obama filed a trademark application for "Higher Ground Productions." 2/

Almost a year ago, (on 9/13/18) the trademark office rejected the Obama application on the grounds that it was confusingly similar to my client's mark (words like "Enterprises" and "Productions" are not really taken into account in reviewing trademarks 3/

Instead of immediately choosing a new name, the lawyers at @PerkinsCoieLLP waited six months and then filed a response seeking to change the mind of the examining attorney at the USPTO. This did not work and on 4/10/19, the application received a final rejection. 4/

Again, instead of choosing another name, the lawyers waited until July and then approached my client asking if she would agree to allow them to use the trademark even though it would confuse people and hurt her business. She politely declined to do so. 5/

Nothing political in her decision, it just wasn't in her best interests to do so. There are plenty of other names that the Obamas could choose. Instead of moving on, the Obamas' lawyers filed a petition to cancel my client's trademark based on absolutely no facts. 6/

Now my client, who has done nothing wrong, is forced to spend money fighting this meritless claim, all because the Obamas wouldn't just pick a new name. 7/

This is really deplorable behavior and I hope that it's just something that the lawyers did without Obama knowing about it because this sort of thing really gives the law profession a bad name. Since both Obamas are lawyers, I would think they would know better. 8/

I hope that they realize that filing baseless claims is not a way that problems should be solved and they just decide to move on. /End