How Shorebilly Brewing Company Won the Trademark Battle, but Lost the War: A Cautionary Tale for Entrepreneurs

摘要

As educators, we strive to find ways to bring legal concepts to life. We know that students will probably not remember the dry facts and rules and exceptions, but they will remember the stories we tell. The case of Teal Bay Alliances, LLC v. Southbound One, Inc. is one of those stories that students will remember and can learn from. The dispute not only highlights some general principles of trademark law, it also allows for an illuminating examination of the people behind the lawsuit and teaches that legal considerations are not the only considerations when entrepreneurs engage in litigation. By describing the parties, the dispute, the outcome, and the aftermath, the story becomes a valuable cautionary tale for entrepreneurs about the high cost of litigation. Applications for educators teaching intellectual property law, entrepreneurship, and ethics are numerous. The homework assignments and the project can be used as a springboard to create inspiring educational content that can have a positive pedagogical impact on our students.