Starbucks and Ethiopia Settle Trademark Dispute (with an Assist from Oxfam)

Here’s the press release from Starbucks. Starbucks had opposed Ethiopia’s filing for trademark rights to three coffee names — Harar, Sidamo and Yirgacheffe — with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. In Ethiopia’s corner, Arnold & Porter took the matter pro bono (anyone who thinks lawyers have gotten slick should take a look at this youTube item with partner Robert Winter), with a group called Light Years IP working strategy. The US Patent & Trademark Office granted Ethiopia a mark on Yirgacheffe but denied it on the the other two, which denials Ethiopia had planned to challenge (and perhaps still might). The law here relates to so-called geographical indications. More detail on the dispute here.

But the PTO action must have been small solace to Starbucks in the face of bad press from the activist community. Check out this print ad from Oxfam. This is the stuff of CEO nightmares, especially if you’re the sort of company that still has at least lingering New Age associations. So now all of us can enjoy those lattes with more peace of liberal mind, even if they might end up even a little more expensive than they already are. Another interesting case of NGOs extracting action that wouldn’t have been required by law.