Showing posts with label trademark. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trademark. Show all posts

Friday, August 26, 2011

The Hells Angels Trademark

By Mona Goldwater
Social Mores Editor


This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

Who knew?  The Hells Angels (yes, there is no apostrophe) have not only trademarked their name, but periodically send out cease and desist orders to mainly clothing manufacturers to prevent losing their trademark.

Sonny Barger (the long time leader of the Oakland Angels and a focus of Hunter Thompson's Hells Angels book) told a reporter not long ago that back in the day if someone stole their colors, they would go out and stomp him.  Now, he said, they use lawyers instead, because what are they going to do, beat up the doorman at Time-Warner?

In March 2007, the Hells Angels filed suit against Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group alleging that the film entitled Wild Hogs used both the name and distinctive logo of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporation without permission

  SliceofNYC's photostream - This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

In October 2010, the Hells Angels filed a lawsuit against Alexander McQueen for "misusing its trademark winged death heads symbol" in several items from its Autumn/Winter 2010 collection. The lawsuit was also aimed at Saks Fifth Avenue and Zappos.com, which stock the jacquard box dress and knuckle duster ring which bear the symbol which is protected by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office since at least 1948.  The suit was settled out of court.
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Thursday, February 07, 2008

Mr. Loophole trademarks his nickname

The British "celebrity lawyer" Mick Freeman has trademarked his 'Mr Loophole' nickname to prevent other lawyers from using it. He was branded Mr Loophole in the British press after helping a string of celebrities—including Sir Alex Ferguson, David Beckham, Jeremy Clarkson and Wayne Rooney—dodge drunk driving convictions. Mr Freeman, from Mere, Cheshire, warned other lawyers who might try to cash in on his nickname. "If anyone attempts to use the name, legal action can be taken.'

Gwent Police arrested him on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice two years ago, but no charges were ever brought.
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