TTABlog Urges Caution on Madrid Trademark Oppositions

According to John Welch at The TTABlog, "TTAB practitioners should note that the rules for opposing Section 66(a) differ in some important respects from those applicable to "non-Madrid" oppositions. Those differences are discussed in a paper that [he] co-authored with Ann Lamport Hammitte, entitled "TTAB Practice and the Madrid Rule Changes", published early this year in Intellectual Property Today. For example, once a Notice of Opposition to a Section 66(a) application has been filed, the Notice may not be amended to add grounds for opposition or new goods after the opposition period ends."

Other differences from typical, "non-Madrid" oppositions include electronic filing of notice of opposition and extension requests, and fees due on filing.