Board Certified in Criminal Law, George Murphy has a record of successfully defendeding those accused of federal trademark infringement. When you’re facing these charges, have received a cease and desist letter, or have been scheduled for an opposition proceeding or cancellation proceeding, make sure you hire an experienced lawyer.
With extensive experience representing merchants against claims of alleged counterfeit products, Houston attorney George Murphy has represented many Houston business owners, and their employees, who have been accused of selling counterfeit merchandise.
Trademark infringement claims are a complex area of the law. It is important to know that it is not illegal to possess, or even sell, counterfeit items. It only becomes illegal when the person selling the merchandise knows that it is counterfeit. Today, most “knock-off” items are indistinguishable from the manufacturer’s real merchandise and, thus, many people selling counterfeit goods do so innocently.
If charged with trademark infringement, damages can be severe and can include all of the profits made off of misusing trademarked items, criminal penalties, and additional damages, including the costs of bringing the legal action against you.
These charges can be serious, and defending against them requires extensive knowledge of criminal regulations. Hiring highly qualified criminal defense counsel is essential to protecting your rights and your business.
Have you recently received a letter from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection informing you that they seized items of yours at the airport? U.S. Customs has the authority to seize items which it claims bear a counterfeit trademark. These seizures may be followed by a civil lawsuit in federal court, in which trademark holders can seek damages of up to $2,000,000 per willful violation of the trademark laws.
If you have been sued by a trademark holder alleging that you have wrongfully used a trademark, contact George Murphy. These lawsuits are exceedingly complicated and could result in exorbitant money damages that you cannot discharge in bankruptcy.
If you’ve been accused of trademark infringement or have received a cease and desist or warning letter from a trademark holder, Houston-area attorney George Murphy will fight hard on your behalf. He will bring the strength of his knowledge of the legal system and years of experience as a criminal defense attorney to your case when you need to defend yourself against these accusations.
When you need someone to defend you against trademark infringement contact Houston federal criminal defense attorney George Murphy by email or call at 713.658.1960.