Response to Office Action

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. PTO Form 1957 (Rev 10/2011)

OMB No. 0651-0050 (Exp 09/20/2020)

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Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. PTO Form 1957 (Rev 10/2011)

OMB No. 0651-0050 (Exp 09/20/2020)

Response to Office Action

To the Commissioner for Trademarks:

Application serial no. 88475858 CHRISTIAN CHURCHES OF GOD(Standard Characters, see http://uspto.report/TM/88475858/mark.png) has been amended as follows:

ARGUMENT(S)
In response to the substantive refusal(s), please note the following:

The Examining Attorney found the mark CHRISTIAN CHURCHES OF GOD to be merely descriptive. Applicant requests the mark be registered on the Principal Register under Section 2(f) of the Lanham Act based on Applicant's use of the phrase CHRISTIAN CHURCHES OF GOD for the services in the application since as early as 1997. Applicant submits a verified statement that the mark has become distinctive of applicant's services through the applicant's substantially exclusive and continuous use of the mark in commerce that the U.S. Congress may lawfully regulate for the five years before the date when the claim of distinctiveness is made. TMEP Section 1212.02(f)(i); see 37 C.F.R. Section 2.41(a)(2). In addition, Trademark Rule 2.41(b) provides that, "In appropriate cases, ownership of one or more prior registrations on the Principal Register or under the Act of 1905 of the same mark may be accepted as prima facie evidence of distinctiveness." 37 C.F.R. Section 2.41(b). In the instant case, Applicant has registered the mark CHRISTIAN CHURCHES OF GOD for services related to those in the present application since 2002. Applicant asserts a claim of acquired distinctiveness based on Applicant's prior registration of the mark, specifically, U.S. Registration No. 2661694, for CHRISTIAN CHURCHES OF GOD & Design. For the foregoing reasons, Applicant submits that its mark may be registered on the Principal Register.

OWNER AND/OR ENTITY INFORMATION
Applicant proposes to amend the following:
Current: World Conference of Christian Churches of God Incorporated a(n) Nonprofit Corporation, legally organized under the laws of Australia, having an address of
      P.O. Box 369
      Woden Act, 2606
      Australia

Proposed: World Conference of Christian Churches of God Incorporated, Nonprofit Corporation legally organized under the laws of Australia, having an address of
      P.O. Box 369
      Woden Act, 2606
      Australia
      Email Address: Secretary@ccg.org

The owner's/holder's current attorney information: Nancy Oliver LeSourd. Nancy Oliver LeSourd of GAMMON & GRANGE, P.C., is located at

      8280 GREENSBORO DRIVE, SUITE 140
      MCLEAN, Virginia 22102
      United States
The docket/reference number is 2254.

The owner's/holder's proposed attorney information: Nancy Oliver LeSourd. Other appointed attorneys are Kenneth E. Liu, George R. Grange, Scott J. Ward,Bonnie L. Van Der Weide, and all other attorneys at Gammon & Grange, P.C.. Nancy Oliver LeSourd of Gammon & Grange, P.C.. Nancy Oliver LeSourd of Gammon & Grange, P.C., is a member of the XX bar, admitted to the bar in XXXX, bar membership no. XXX, and the attorney(s) is located at

      8280 GREENSBORO DRIVE, SUITE 140
      McLean, Virginia 22102
      United States
The docket/reference number is 2254.
      The email address is trademark@gg-law.com

Nancy Oliver LeSourd submitted the following statement: The attorney of record is an active member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a U.S. state, the District of Columbia, or any U.S. Commonwealth or territory.Correspondence Information (current):
      KENNETH E. LIU
      PRIMARY EMAIL FOR CORRESPONDENCE: trademark@gg-law.com
      SECONDARY EMAIL ADDRESS(ES) (COURTESY COPIES): trademark@gg-law.com

The docket/reference number is 2254.
Correspondence Information (proposed):
      Nancy Oliver LeSourd
      PRIMARY EMAIL FOR CORRESPONDENCE: trademark@gg-law.com
      SECONDARY EMAIL ADDRESS(ES) (COURTESY COPIES): trademark@gg-law.com

The docket/reference number is 2254.

Requirement for Email and Electronic Filing: I understand that a valid email address must be maintained by the owner/holder and the owner's/holder's attorney, if appointed, and that all official trademark correspondence must be submitted via the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS).

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
Disclaimer
No claim is made to the exclusive right to use CHRISTIAN apart from the mark as shown.


Claim of Active Prior Registration(s)
The applicant claims ownership of active prior U.S. Registration Number(s) 2661694.


SECTION 2(f) Claim of Acquired Distinctiveness, based on Five or More Years' Use
The mark has become distinctive of the goods/services through the applicant's substantially exclusive and continuous use of the mark in commerce that the U.S. Congress may lawfully regulate for at least the five years immediately before the date of this statement.


SIGNATURE(S)
Declaration Signature
Original PDF file:
HS_70169166144-094944026_._CHRISTIAN_CHURCHES_OF_GOD_Cl._41_2_f__Signed_Decl.pdf
Converted PDF file(s) (1 page)
Signature File1
Signatory's Name: Russell Hilburn
Signatory's Position: Deputy Coordinator General

Response Signature
Signature: /Kenneth E. Liu/     Date: 02/20/2020
Signatory's Name: Kenneth E. Liu
Signatory's Position: Attorney of Record, Virginia Bar member

The signatory has confirmed that he/she is a U.S.-licensed attorney who is an active member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a U.S. state (including the District of Columbia and any U.S. Commonwealth or territory); and he/she is currently the owner's/holder's attorney or an associate thereof; and to the best of his/her knowledge, if prior to his/her appointment another U.S.-licensed attorney not currently associated with his/her company/firm previously represented the owner/holder in this matter: the owner/holder has revoked their power of attorney by a signed revocation or substitute power of attorney with the USPTO; the USPTO has granted that attorney's withdrawal request; the owner/holder has filed a power of attorney appointing him/her in this matter; or the owner's/holder's appointed U.S.-licensed attorney has filed a power of attorney appointing him/her as an associate attorney in this matter.

Mailing Address:    KENNETH E. LIU
   GAMMON & GRANGE, P.C.
   
   8280 GREENSBORO DRIVE, SUITE 140
   MCLEAN, Virginia 22102
Mailing Address:    Nancy Oliver LeSourd
   Gammon & Grange, P.C.
   8280 GREENSBORO DRIVE, SUITE 140
   McLean, Virginia 22102
        
Serial Number: 88475858
Internet Transmission Date: Thu Feb 20 10:20:37 ET 2020
TEAS Stamp: USPTO/ROA-XX.XXX.XXX.XXX-202002201020374
88636-88475858-71013d3b1d73615939f99df93
d69b67882467414536953dbcabe2136a5707ce2a
-N/A-N/A-20200220101602191754