Interesting. It seems that the trademark may be on the full 'Build-A-Bike Workshop' phrase instead of just ending at the word bike. It seems like repairing old bikes as a team gives team building and leadership skills - as that's what the 'Leadership Instituite' is apparently selling with their Build-A-Bike workshop.
Maybe we could rent out our shops to corporate retreat groups, they could just take over our collective decision making roles for a weekend. Or maybe we can just advertise to all our volunteers that they are gaining critical corporate team building and problem solving experience.
Another outreach tool!
-Ed BiciCentro.org
On 1/13/08, eric russelle lrcoop@yahoo.com wrote:
I agree that trademarking a name that is used by so many not-for-profits is a little unsettling. I know nothing about lawsuits (or the law, really) but i do find this trademark offensive.
danielle reCycles bike coOp Arkansas
*Erik Ryberg ryberg@seanet.com* wrote:
you're an attorney at law...let's do it. what do we win?
Well, all we win is the right to keep calling our build a bike classes "build a bike classes" without fear of lawsuits and threatening cease and desist letters from attorneys for the corporate team-building industry.
I should think that would be worth something, though.
-- Erik B. Ryberg Attorney at Law 445 West Simpson Street Tucson, AZ 85701 (520) 622-3333 _______________________________________________ Thethinktank mailing list Thethinktank@bikecollectives.org
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