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TTAB Affirms Two Genericness Refusals: "CONFERENCECALL.COM" and "CORPORATE PRO BONO" for ... Guess What?

Two genericness cases illustrate the proposition that a term may be generic for services if it names the "key aspect" or "central focus" of the services. In In re West Corp., Serial No. 78739755 (July 31, 2008) [not precedential], the Board found CONFERENCECALL.COM to be generic for "telecommunications services, namely audio and video teleconferencing." And in In re Pro Bono Institute, Serial No. 78762830 (July 22, 2008) [not precedential], it deemed CORPORATE PRO BONO generic for support services for entities providing charitable legal services.In the first case, Examining Attorney Michael G. Lewis submitted dictionary definitions and encyclopedia entries for "conference call," as well as Internet website evidence indicating that the term "is used to refer to audio or video teleconferencing...continue to full post

Full post as published by The TTABlog on August 13, 2008 (boomark / email).