33 GREEK-LETTER ORGANIZATIONS UNITE TO PROTECT TRADEMARK RIGHTS, FILE JOINT LAWSUIT
Legal Action Expected to Support Trademark Owners, Legally Licensed Vendors
SAN DIEGO – December 31, 2007 – 33 national and international Greek-letter organizations on Friday filed a joint lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida in Miami against Greek product manufacturers and marketers Paddle Tramps Mfg. Co, The Brown Bag, joeToga, Taymark, Inc., Tervis Tumbler Company and Rah Rah Company, on charges of trademark infringement and both federal and common law unfair competition. The lawsuit was filed as a result of continued, unauthorized use of the Greek organizations’ protected trademarks by the six defendants. Stites & Harbison’s intellectual property group in Louisville, Kentucky has been retained as legal counsel by the Greek organizations.
“The defendants haven’t just violated the rights of Greek organizations in this case, but they have, in essence, stolen business from hundreds of legally licensed vendors who are the only ones authorized to manufacture and market products using these protected trademarks,” said Mark Anderson, executive secretary for Sigma Chi. “This lawsuit is as much about standing by our many vendors who faithfully abide by the law and our quality control standards as it is about trademark protection.”
“The size and breadth of this joint litigation irrefutably shows that Greek organizations are aligned and focused on protecting the individual and collective use of our marks. I am disappointed that there are companies whose refusal to abide by our very reasonable licensing requirements have placed them in such a difficult and unfortunate legal predicament,” said Cari Cook, executive director for Delta Delta Delta.
The lawsuit was filed in the same court that previously ruled in favor of Greek trademark rights when it decided the defendant violated state and federal trademark laws when it continued to sell branded products outside of a license agreement with various Greek organizations (Sigma Chi Fraternity, et al v. Sethscot Collection, et al, Case No. 98-2102 CIV-SEITZ). An injunction was entered against the defendant in that case and the defendant was required to pay undisclosed damages.
“Recent trademark law clearly establishes Greek organizations’ rights to protect their marks and ensure that products and services that contain their insignia meet fundamental quality standards,” said Dan Shaver, president of Affinity Marketing Consultants, Inc. “We are hopeful that other unlicensed manufacturers, including screen printers and embroiderers, will seize the opportunity to become licensed instead of waiting until legal action becomes necessary.”
The 33 plaintiffs include:
| Alpha Chi Omega | Kappa Alpha Order |
| Alpha Delta Pi | Kappa Delta |
| Alpha Gamma Delta | Kappa Sigma |
| Alpha Gamma Rho | Lambda Chi Alpha |
| Alpha Omicron Pi | Phi Delta Theta |
| Alpha Phi | Phi Gamma Delta |
| Alpha Tau Omega | Phi Kappa Sigma |
| Alpha Xi Delta | Phi Kappa Tau |
| Beta Theta Pi | Phi Kappa Theta |
| Chi Omega | Pi Beta Phi |
| Chi Phi | Pi Kappa Alpha |
| Delta Chi | Sigma Alpha Epsilon |
| Delta Delta Delta | Sigma Chi |
| Delta Gamma | Sigma Kappa |
| Delta Phi Epsilon | Sigma Phi Epsilon |
| Delta Tau Delta | Tau Kappa Epsilon |
| Gamma Phi Beta |
To date, over 60 national and international Greek-letter organizations, representing over 5.5 million households, proactively manage comprehensive licensing programs that grant companies approval to use their trademarks on high-quality and appropriate products and services. To learn more about the licensing efforts of these Greek organizations, visit www.GreekLicensing.com.