Lawyers.com Generic for Legal Information Website
Client Alert | 1 min read | 04.18.07
In In Reed Elsevier Properties, Inc. (No, 2006-1309; April 12, 2007), a Federal Circuit panel affirms the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board’s refusal to register the mark LAWYERS.COM as generic for providing an online interactive database featuring information exchange in the fields of law, legal news, and legal services.
On appeal, Reed Elsevier asserted that (1) the TTAB improperly considered all of the services offered on the www.lawyers.com website in defining the genus of services at issue, rather than focusing only on the services listed in the application; and (2) the TTAB’s conclusion that “a central and inextricably intertwined element of [the claimed] genus is information about lawyers and information from lawyers” is not supported by substantial evidence.
The Court finds both contentions without merit, stating that “[A]s Reed and Martindale-Hubbard should know, for better or worse, lawyers are necessarily an integral part of the information exchange about legal services.” The panel then determines that the TTAB acted properly in reviewing the www.lawyers.com website for context to inform its understanding of the various terms in the recitation of services listed in the application, because “information exchange about lawyers is not at all discrete” from the services listed in the application. The Court also finds that substantial evidence supports the TTAB’s determination of what services the relevant public would understand “lawyers” to identify.
Insights
Client Alert | 5 min read | 08.21.26
FTC Proposes Enforcement Policy Statement on Personalized Pricing: What Businesses Need to Know
On August 19, 2026, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a proposed Enforcement Policy Statement on personalized pricing — the practice of companies using consumers’ personal data to set individualized prices, discounts, coupons, or other incentives. The proposed statement, which is open for public comment for 30 days following publication in the Federal Register, marks a major step up in the FTC’s focus on data-driven pricing strategies and puts businesses across industries on notice that undisclosed or inadequately disclosed personalized pricing will not be tolerated. Importantly, while the proposed statement is not a binding legal requirement and does not create new legal obligations, it serves as an enforcement warning that the FTC is prepared to use its existing enforcement authority under Section 5 of the FTC Act (Section 5) and is also a potential harbinger of rulemaking. Businesses that engage in — or are considering — personalized pricing should carefully assess their disclosure practices and data collection procedures against the standards articulated in this statement.
Client Alert | 7 min read | 08.19.26
CMS’s Final Rule Bans Federal Medicaid Funding for Youth Gender-Affirming Care
Client Alert | 2 min read | 08.19.26
