Claiming trademark infringement, Harvard University sues another business for using its name - NEWS - Brief Article

Matrix: The Magazine for Leaders in Education, Feb, 2001

Here's a tip for businesses: Think about not using the word "Harvard" in your name. For the second time in less than a year, Harvard University has sued a business on grounds of trademark infringement.

In a lawsuit filed recently in U.S. District Court in Boston, the university is claiming that Harvard Bioscience Inc. is misleading clients and the public, in part because the name suggests a connection to the school. The company, however, has used Harvard in its name for yearly a 100 years.

The suit marks the second time that one of the nation's most prestigious universities has aggressively pursued a company for using its name. Essentially, Harvard wants to be the only "Harvard" thereby protecting its brand. Though the matter was eventually settled out of court, Harvard sued the former NotHarvard.com training Web site in 2000, which led to the company changing its name to Powered Inc.

Harvard Bioscience makes medical products, such as blood pumps and ventilators, and prior to being known by that name it was called Harvard Apparatus. The company changed its name in October, 2000, as it prepared to issue an initial public stock offering, according to The Boston Globe.

Joel R. Leeman, an attorney for the university, told the Globe that Harvard Bioscience also uses similar fonts and colors in its name. "The use of those two words, Harvard Bioscience, conjures up the image of a Harvard University department."

Harvard University has several trademarks for its name, none of which specifically pertain to medical devices, according to the Globe.

Harvard Apparatus was founded in 1901 by Dr. William T. Porter of Harvard Medical School, according to officials.