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Western District Dismisses Law Firm's Cybersquatting Claim Against Vendor

Seattle-based solo law firm The Christensen Firm claims it’s having trouble with its Web development vendor. Last March, it filed suit in King County Superior Court against Chameleon Data Corp. and its president, Derek Dohn, on the alleged ground that defendants transferred ownership of plaintiff’s four domain names (thechristensenfirm.com, thechristensenfirm.net, christensenfirm.com, and cc-lawfirm.com) to themselves without plaintiff’s authorization, and shut down email service to addresses associated with plaintiff’s primary domain name, cc-lawfirm.com. Plaintiff claims defendants did so to obtain leverage in the parties’ dispute over the defendants’ bill. Defendants subsequently removed the case to the Western District.

On Jan. 31, Judge Thomas Zilly granted defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiff’s cybersquatting and Consumer Protection Act claims on summary judgment. The minute order does not explain the basis for the decision, but the motion for reconsideration plaintiff filed today seems to shed some light on the subject.

Plaintiff stated in its motion: “On January 31, 2008, this Court granted Defendants’ motion for summary judgment on Plaintiff’s Anti-Cybersquatting and Consumer Protection Act claims on the basis that the Plaintiff’s marks were either generic (cc-lawfirm) or descriptive (The Christensen Firm).”

Plaintiff stated both rulings constituted “manifest error.” It argued the court improperly dissected plaintiff’s trademark, cc-lawfirm, and found the “lawfirm” portion is generic for legal services, and “The Christensen Firm” is descriptive without a showing of secondary meaning. Plaintiff argued its mark is instead suggestive and, therefore, inherently distinctive, and that it had acquired secondary meaning in any event.

Under Local Rule 7(h), defendants need not (and may not) respond unless the court requests that it do so.

The case cite is The Christensen Firm v. Chameleon Data Corp., No. 06-337 (W.D. Wash. Jan. 31, 2008) (Zilly, J.).

Posted on February 14, 2008 by Registered CommenterMichael Atkins in , | Comments3 Comments

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Reader Comments (3)

Looks like they should have pled a good old fashion breach of contract action. It is hard to imagine the Christensen Firm hasn't been around long enough to make a viable secondary meaning argument. Perhaps counsel dropped the ball on submitting proofs on that critical element.

There are a few UDRP decisions which support transfer when the web developer transfers the registrant info to their control. Perhaps that would have be3en a better strategy.
February 15, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterEnrico Schaefer
Hard to believe a court wouldn't find secondary meaning in the law firm name. It would be interesting to know what frame of reference in terms of locale the Court used in deciding the law firm name had no secondary meaning.
February 15, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterMark Clark
The trademarks need to be viewed as a whole. Beckwith, Inc. v. Commissioner of Patents, 252 U.S. 538, 545-46, 40 S. Ct. 414, 416-17, 64 L. Ed. 705 (1920) HN4("The commercial impression of a trade-mark is derived from it as a whole, not from its elements separated and considered in detail."). Regardless, this decision once again provides that rights under the ACPA start, and in this case end, with a determination as to whether or not trademark rights in fact exist.

The classification of a trademark has never meant more (See http://tcattorney.typepad.com/ip/2008/02/trademark-class.html#more). Unfortunately, most entities do not do their homework up front, so to speak, before choosing a mark and are left to battle with judges. There is plenty of guidance out there and many ways to avoid the headaches of a lawsuit and/or rebranding.
February 15, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterBrian Hall

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