Milbank secured a favorable decision from the US Patent and Trademark Office for pro bono client, National Mentoring Partnership, Inc. (“MENTOR”), a not-for-profit organization that serves as the unifying advocate and leading resource for quality youth mentoring in the United States, in a long-running trademark dispute against Omega, the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer.
The dispute, which has been ongoing for more than a decade, was brought by Omega over MENTOR’s application for registration of a trademark described as “two Greek letter Omegas, one smaller Omega enveloped in a larger Omega.” The mark symbolizes the mentor-mentee relationship, with the larger Omega representing a mentor, and the smaller Omega a mentee. Milbank was successful in getting Omega’s opposition to the trademark application dismissed with respect to MENTOR’s core services, allowing MENTOR to use the mark to promote youth mentoring services, and for charitable fundraising services for youth mentoring programs. It is a significant ruling because Omega had been trying for many years to prevent other companies and organizations from registering a trademark that uses an omega symbol.
The Milbank team representing MENTOR was led by partner Christopher Gaspar and included associates Anna Brook and Nangah Tabah.
