Question
Mickey'sRestaurantsLtd.isalargefirmthatoperatesachainof25roadhousestylerestaurant/tavernsacrossCanadaunderthenameofMickey'sandiswellknownnationallyduetoitsextensiveadvertisingcampaigns. MickVernrecentlyboughtarestaurant/tavern,previouslyknownasPaddyO'LanternssituatedindowntownSt.Catharines,Ontario.HeformedacompanyunderthenameofMickeyV'sLtd.andrenamedtherestaurantMickeyV's.ThedcorandfurnishingsofMick'srestaurantarenotatalllikethoseoftheMickey'schain,buttheexternalappearance,franchisecoloursandsignbearssomesimilarity.MickplanstofranchisethebusinessinOntario. ThepresidentofMickey'sRestaurantsLtd.isangrybecauseshehasbeenplanningtoopenafranchisestoreinSt.Catharines.SheallegesthatMickisattermptingtodeceivethepublic,istradingonhercompany'sreputation,andisbenefittingfromitsadvertising.ShehaswrittentoMick,insistingthathechangethenameofhiscompanyandhisrestaurant;otherwiseMickey'sRestaurantswillcommencelegalproceedings. Mickmaintainsthatnooneisconfused,thathechosethenameMickeyV'sdeliberatelytodistinguishhisrestaurantsfromthoseofthechain,andthat,sinceneitheroftheprincipalownersofMickey'sRestaurantsLtd.arecalledMickey,theyaretheoneswhoaretradingimproperly. Mickcomestoyouforadvice.Healsoasksifhecanpatenthisgrandmother'srecipeforfriedchicken(whichincludes13secretherbsandspices)andherrecipeforpastasauce.Heintendstosellbothfromhisrestaurant. Required:AdviseMickwhatlegalactionsmightbetakenagainsthimandwhetherornottheymightsucceedandthelikelihoodofobtainingthepatents.
Mickey'sRestaurantsLtd.isalargefirmthatoperatesachainof25roadhousestylerestaurant/tavernsacrossCanadaunderthenameof"Mickey's"andiswellknownnationallyduetoitsextensiveadvertisingcampaigns.
MickVernrecentlyboughtarestaurant/tavern,previouslyknownas"PaddyO'Lanterns"situatedindowntownSt.Catharines,Ontario.HeformedacompanyunderthenameofMickeyV'sLtd.andrenamedtherestaurant"MickeyV's".ThedcorandfurnishingsofMick'srestaurantarenotatalllikethoseoftheMickey'schain,buttheexternalappearance,franchisecoloursandsignbearssomesimilarity.MickplanstofranchisethebusinessinOntario.
ThepresidentofMickey'sRestaurantsLtd.isangrybecauseshehasbeenplanningtoopenafranchisestoreinSt.Catharines.SheallegesthatMickisattermptingtodeceivethepublic,istradingonhercompany'sreputation,andisbenefittingfromitsadvertising.ShehaswrittentoMick,insistingthathechangethenameofhiscompanyandhisrestaurant;otherwiseMickey'sRestaurantswillcommencelegalproceedings.
Mickmaintainsthatnooneisconfused,thathechosethename"MickeyV's"deliberatelytodistinguishhisrestaurantsfromthoseofthechain,andthat,sinceneitheroftheprincipalownersofMickey'sRestaurantsLtd.arecalledMickey,theyaretheoneswhoaretradingimproperly.
Mickcomestoyouforadvice.Healsoasksifhecanpatenthisgrandmother'srecipeforfriedchicken(whichincludes13secretherbsandspices)andherrecipeforpastasauce.Heintendstosellbothfromhisrestaurant.
Required:AdviseMickwhatlegalactionsmightbetakenagainsthimandwhetherornottheymightsucceedandthelikelihoodofobtainingthepatents.
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