LETTER OF PROTEST MEMORANDUM
DATE: July 03, 2018
TO: Allison Schrody
Examining Attorney
FROM: Jeffrey Look
Attorney Advisor
Office of the Deputy Commissioner
for Trademark Examination Policy
SUBJECT: Letter of protest concerning U.S. Application Serial No. 87/654413
For the mark HB
A letter of protest filed before publication has been accepted because the evidence submitted by the protester is relevant and may support a reasonable ground for refusal appropriate in ex parte examination. TMEP §1715.02. Therefore, you must consider the following and make an independent determination whether to issue a requirement or refusal based on the objections raised in the letter of protest:
Possible likelihood of confusion under Section 2(d) with the following:
U.S. Registration No. 2567579 for the mark HBI, and
U.S. Registration No. 3334841 for the mark HBI and design.
Please see the relevant registrations in the X-search database.
NOTE: The acceptance of a letter of protest filed before publication is not a legal determination by the USPTO of registrability, nor is it meant to compromise the integrity of the ex parte examination process. It merely serves to bring the submitted evidence to the attention of the examining attorney, who determines whether a refusal or requirement should be raised or ultimately made final.