Fross Zelnick Wins Rare Descriptiveness Reversal at TTAB

Fross Zelnick partner Charles Weigell and former associate Julia Belagorudsky convinced the USPTO’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“TTAB”) to reverse the decision of a trademark examining attorney and rule that our client, Stella McCartney, Ltd., could, in fact, federally register its “Fur Free Fur” trademark. The examiner had previously refused the mark as merely descriptive and denied registration. Such reversals are generally rare, as the TTAB affirmance rate for descriptiveness rejections is over 80%. In re Stella McCartney Ltd., App. Ser. No. 87410072 (T.T.A.B. Mar. 29, 2019).