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Trademark Law Archive

7
One Bank’s $1 Million Naming Mistake

One Bank’s $1 Million Naming Mistake

August 04th, 2010
Alliance Bank has prevailed in a trademark lawsuit against Customers 1st Bank who must now destroy all materials containing the Customer 1st name and find  
1
Who’s First? First Michigan? Or Michigan First?

Who’s First? First Michigan? Or Michigan First?

July 22nd, 2010
Earlier this year, Michigan First Credit Union slapped a lawsuit on First Michigan Bank for trademark infringement. (If you’re tempted to dismiss this article as  
1
March Madness: The Do’s and Don’ts

March Madness: The Do’s and Don’ts

March 16th, 2010
Every Spring, financial marketers across the U.S. wonder how they can tap into the fervor the NCAA’s “March Madness”  college basketball tournament. But there’s a  
1
Credit Union Sues Bank Over Trademarked Scarlet Letter

Credit Union Sues Bank Over Trademarked Scarlet Letter

July 16th, 2009
Trademarked red ‘M’ triggers lawsuit Two Pennsylvania financial institutions will square off in court over who can — and can’t — use a big, red  
6
Advanta Forces Avanta to Become ‘Altana’

Advanta Forces Avanta to Become ‘Altana’

June 15th, 2009
Bank trademark trumps credit union The erstwhile Laurel Federal Credit Union is being forced to spend more than $80,000 changing names — again — five  
0
Get Your Financial Trademark Now, Before It’s Too Late

Get Your Financial Trademark Now, Before It’s Too Late

February 25th, 2009
Financial Trademarks 1976-2008 In 1996 there were just 67,000 Class 36 trademarks on file with the USPTO. But in the last decade, that number has  
1
How To Look Up Your Financial Trademark in 10 Easy Steps

How To Look Up Your Financial Trademark in 10 Easy Steps

December 11th, 2008
There are thousands of financial institutions across North America who leave some of their most valuable assets virtually unprotected. We’re talking about their trademarks —  
2
Texas-Sized Trademark Trouble Brewing Over Name

Texas-Sized Trademark Trouble Brewing Over Name

November 18th, 2008
Last week, The Financial Brand reported that Arp State Bank in East Texas was changing its name to American State Bank. The article noted a  
5
Naming SNAFUs Plague Multiple Commerce Banks

Naming SNAFUs Plague Multiple Commerce Banks

November 14th, 2008
Okay, sorry, this gets a little complicated. There was a Commerce Bank in New Jersey. But earlier this year, TD Banknorth took them over. That  
0
Will the real ‘Vista Bank’ in Texas please step forward

Will the real ‘Vista Bank’ in Texas please step forward

August 25th, 2008
Fight looms, confusion inevitable as two Texas banks now share ‘Vista’ name “We changed our name to soar above the crowd…to set ourselves apart.” –  
3

Ohio Bank Learns Hard Lesson About Trademark Law

August 19th, 2008
For 120 years, people in Ohio knew their bank simply as “OV.” Not any more. The bank was forced to change names by one of  
5
Don’t Use Orange Circles or ING May Sue You

Don’t Use Orange Circles or ING May Sue You

August 18th, 2008
Consider yourself on notice: If you are a bank or credit union using anything resembling this orange dot… …look out. Orange circles may be enough  
2
Green Branch® Is a Federally Registered Trademark

Green Branch® Is a Federally Registered Trademark

June 16th, 2008
“PNC has more certified green buildings than any company on Earth.” – PNC website Here’s something interesting you might not have heard. In 2008, the  
1
Update: Battle over ‘Commerce’ name heats up

Update: Battle over ‘Commerce’ name heats up

June 12th, 2008
Massachusetts bank puts Canada’s TD in a tough spot A U.S. District judge has issued a preliminary injuction barring TD Banknorth from using the TD  
0
Original judgment and injunction against 'Orion Residential Finance'

Judge orders trademark infringer to use ‘negative keywords’

June 09th, 2008
Here’s an interesting ruling in a financial trademark dispute involving Orion Bancorp (the victor) and Orion Residential Finance. The judge ordered the guilty infringer to  
0

‘Alabama CU’ sues ‘The Credit Union of Alabama FCU’ over name

January 08th, 2008
This 23-page PDF from the U.S. District Court of Alabama should serve as a cautionary tale about what can happen if you choose a new  
0

Pittsburgh Teachers becomes ‘Riverset’

December 26th, 2007
With $87 million in assets and 13,000 members, Pittsburgh Teachers Credit Union will officially become ‘Riverset,’ effective January 2, 2008. According to this article, President  
0

NY Times classic on bank name changes

December 22nd, 2007
A New York Times article from 1987 says the scramble for good names causes some normally staid financial institutions to wage trademark battles. It seems  
0

Judge blocks use of bank’s ‘Citizens’ name

December 17th, 2007
Citizens First is apparently the second ‘Citizens Something’ in Michigan. An article in Crain’s Detroit Business reported that Flint-based Citizens Republic won a preliminary injunction  
0

Two Fewer ‘First Federal’ Banks

December 06th, 2007
Two banks sharing the same name have both decided to shed their old ‘First Federal’ monikers. One is in Souix City, Iowa, and the other