San Francisco – November 13, 2024 – Cooley successfully secured a preliminary injunction on behalf of its client, the City and County of San Francisco, in a trademark infringement lawsuit against the Port of Oakland, which operates Oakland International Airport, prohibiting it from using its new name, “San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport.”
On November 12, 2024, a federal judge from the US District Court for the Northern District of California ruled that Oakland’s new name violated San Francisco’s San Francisco International Airport trademark, as the name was likely to imply an affiliation or business relationship between the two airports. The order requires the Port of Oakland – and those acting in concert with it – to stop using or marketing the “San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport” name and trademark.
The lawsuit and preliminary injunction followed the Oakland Board of Port Commissioners’ decision earlier this year to rename Oakland’s airport over objections from San Francisco officials, airlines, regional stakeholders and Bay Area residents.
The Cooley litigation team was led by partners Bobby Ghajar and John Hemann, special counsel Judd Lauter, and associates Ryan Stevens and Jessica Williams. They were joined by David Chiu, Yvonne Meré, Julie Veit and Christopher Stuart from the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office.
The case is City and County of San Francisco v. City of Oakland and Port of Oakland in the US District Court for the Northern District of California (Case No. 3:24-cv-02311-TSH). Read the preliminary injunction order.
Read the City of San Francisco’s press release.
Clients partner with Cooley on transformative deals, complex IP and regulatory matters, and high-stakes litigation, where innovation meets the law.
Cooley has 1,300+ lawyers across 19 offices in the United States, Asia and Europe, and a total workforce of more than 3,000.
This content is provided for general informational purposes only, and your access or use of the content does not create an attorney-client relationship between you or your organization and Cooley LLP, Cooley (UK) LLP, or any other affiliated practice or entity (collectively referred to as “Cooley”). By accessing this content, you agree that the information provided does not constitute legal or other professional advice. This content is not a substitute for obtaining legal advice from a qualified attorney licensed in your jurisdiction and you should not act or refrain from acting based on this content. This content may be changed without notice. It is not guaranteed to be complete, correct or up to date, and it may not reflect the most current legal developments. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Do not send any confidential information to Cooley, as we do not have any duty to keep any information you provide to us confidential. This content may be considered Attorney Advertising and is subject to our legal notices.