Ateneo Law School

Rockwell Center, Makati City

SYLLABUS

TRADEMARK LAW
Atty. Ferdinand M. Negre

I. Introduction (4 November 2010)

A. Protection of Intellectual Property and the Constitution
- Section 13, Article XIV
- Section 19, Article XII
- Section 6, Article XII
Case: ABS-CBN vs. Phil. Multi-Media, G.R. Nos. 175769-70,
January 19, 2009
Elidad C. Kho v. CA, et al., G.R. No. 115758. 19 March 2002.

B. International Treaties and Covenants on Trademarks
Paris Convention on Trademarks
- Salient Features
1. National Treatment Principle [Article 2]
2. Right of Priority [Article 4]
3. Protection against Unfair Competition [Article 10bis]
4. Protection of Tradenames [Article 8]
5. Protection of Well-Known Marks [Article 6bis]

TRIPS Agreement/WTO Treaty on Trademarks
- Overview
- Fundamental Principles, e.g. National Treatment v. Most Favored Nation
Principle [Articles 3 and 4]
- Exhaustion of intellectual property rights [Article 6]
- Abuse of Intellectual property Rights [Article 8, Paragraph 2]
- Accession to WTO and TRIPS Compliance [Article 2]
- Availability, Scope and Use of Trademark Rights [Article 15, paragraph 1]
- Basis for Application and Publication Requirement [Art. 15 Paras. 3 and 5]
- Protection of Famous Marks [Art. 16 paras. 2 and 3]
- Use Requirement [Article 15 Par. 3, Article 19]
- Licensing Requirements [Article 21]
- Term of Registration [Article 18]

Madrid Protocol: International Registration of Marks

C. Laws Governing Trademarks (R.A. No. 166, R.A. No. 8293)

Intellectual Property Code (Parts I, III and V, R.A. No. 8293)
- Overview
- Salient Features
- The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines

II. Trademarks (11 November 2010)

What are trademarks? (Definition, Function and Historical Development)
Law: Sections 121-123, R.A. 8293
The Concept of Trademarks; Theories of Trademark Protection
Case: Pribhdas J . Mirpuri v. Court of Appeals, et al.,
G.R. No. 114508, 19 November 1999.

A. Kinds of Marks
- Trademark
- Tradename
- Service Mark
- Collective Mark or Collective Tradename
- Certification Marks
Law: Sec. 121.2, R.A. No. 8293
- Trademark vs. Tradename (See Article 8 of the Paris Convention)
Cases:
Philips Export B.V. v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 96161, 21 Feb. 1992
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha v. CA, G.R. No. 120900, J uly 20, 2000
- Trademark vis--vis Copyright
Cases:
Childrens Television Workshop v. Touch of Class, Inc.,
AC-GR SP No. 03423, 15 May 1985
United Feature Syndicate v. Munsingwear Creation Manufacturing
Company, G.R. No. 76193, 20 November 1989.


B. What marks are eligible for registration; what marks are not eligible for registration?

Bars to Registration:
Law: Section 123, R.A. No. 8293
1. Absolute Grounds: Lack of Capacity to Distinguish; Devoid of
Distinctiveness

2. Relative Grounds

Case:
Ethepa v. Director of Patents, 16 SCRA 253 (31 March 1966)
Amigo Manufacturing vs. Cluett Peabody Co., I nc.,
G.R. No. 139300, March 14, 2001

C. Elements of a Suitable Trademark; Classification of Marks
What makes a good trademark? (Distinctiveness Spectrum Approach)
- Arbitrary or Fanciful; Suggestive; Descriptive; Generic
Cases:
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. v. Hunting World, I nc. 537 F. 2d 4 (2d Cir.
1976)
I n the Matter of the Application of Quik-Print Copy Shops, I nc. 616 F.
2d 523 (CCPA 1980)
Romero v. Maiden Form Brassiere, 10 SCRA 556 (31 March 1964)
Ong Ai Gui v. Director of Patents, 96 Phil. 673
E.I . Dupont de Nemours & Co. v. Yosida International, I nc.
393 F Supp 502, 185 USPQ 597
American Thermos Products Co. v. Aladdin Industries, I nc.
207 F Supp 9, 134
Ang Tibay v. Teodoro, 74 Phil. 50
Lyceum of the Phil. I nc. v. Court of Appeals, et. al., G. R. No. 101897
Pearl & Dean v. Shoemart, et al., G.R. No. 148222,

Doctrine of SECONDARY MEANING

- Law: Section 123.2, R.A. No. 8293
- Cases
Arce & Sons v. Selecta Biscuit Co., supra
Philippine Nut I ndustry, I nc. v. Standard Brands, I nc., 65 SCRA 575
(31 J uly 1975)
Compania General de Tobacos v. Alhambra Cigar and Cigarette Co.,
33 Phil. 485 (10 February 1916)
E. Spinner v. Neuss Husslein Corp., 54 Phil. 224 (31 J anuary 1930)



D. The Trademark Application (Sections 124-133, 144 R.A. 8293)

E. Opposition to a published application (Sections 134-135)

F. Registration grant and issuance of certificate (Sections 136-139; 145-146)

G. Cancellation of Registration (Sections 151-154);