Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Bd. of Regents of The Univ. of Wis. v. Phoenix Int'l. Software, Inc.

By Matthew Siegal and William Seymour
October 28, 2011

You can't sue the king ' unless he lets you, even if he didn't mean to. By challenging the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board's (“TTAB” or “the Board”) decision to cancel its trademark registration for “CONDOR,” the state of Wisconsin unintentionally waived its sovereign immunity and opened itself to a suit for trademark infringement by Phoenix International Software, Inc. (“Phoenix”).

On Aug. 5, 2011, on rehearing, the Seventh Circuit issued its unanimous decision in Bd. of Regents of the Univ. Wisconsin v. Phoenix Int'l. Software, Inc., __ F.3d __, 2011 WL 3436879 (7th Cir. 2011) (“Wisconsin II “), reversing its prior decision and holding that Wisconsin waived sovereign immunity when it filed a suit in federal district court challenging the TTAB's decision to cancel Wisconsin's trademark registration for “CONDOR.” As a result, Phoenix's counterclaims for trademark infringement and false designation of origin were not barred under Wisconsin's inherent sovereign immunity.

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later Image

The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.

The Bankruptcy Hotline Image

Recent cases of importance to your practice.

How AI Has Affected PR Image

When we consider how the use of AI affects legal PR and communications, we have to look at it as an industrywide global phenomenon. A recent online conference provided an overview of the latest AI trends in public relations, and specifically, the impact of AI on communications. Here are some of the key points and takeaways from several of the speakers, who provided current best practices, tips, concerns and case studies.

Use of Deferred Prosecution Agreements In White Collar Investigations Image

This article discusses the practical and policy reasons for the use of DPAs and NPAs in white-collar criminal investigations, and considers the NDAA's new reporting provision and its relationship with other efforts to enhance transparency in DOJ decision-making.

The DOJ's New Parameters for Evaluating Corporate Compliance Programs Image

The parameters set forth in the DOJ's memorandum have implications not only for the government's evaluation of compliance programs in the context of criminal charging decisions, but also for how defense counsel structure their conference-room advocacy seeking declinations or lesser sanctions in both criminal and civil investigations.