U.Va. Tip Sheet: Law Professors Oliar, Kitch Can Comment on U.S. Patent Office Revoking Washington Redskins Trademark Today

The United States Patent and Trademark Office today cancelled the Washington Redskins trademark registration. The landmark case was filed on behalf of five Native Americans.

“The Patent and Trademark Office cancelled today the registration of six trademarks used by the Washington Redskins football team because these marks were disparaging to Native Americans when registered between 1967 and 1990,” explained Dotan Oliar, University of Virginia Class of 1966 Research Professor of Law.

Oliar and Edmund Kitch, the Mary and Daniel Loughran Professor of Law at U.Va., are both available to comment on the decision.

Kitch’s scholarly and teaching interests include agency, corporations, securities, antitrust, industrial and intellectual property, economic regulation and legal and economic history. His contact information is ewk@virginia.edu and 434-924-7047. His faculty website is here.

Oliar’s areas of interest include intellectual property, law and economics, property theory and cyberlaw. He can be reached at oliar@virginia.edu and 434-924-3219. His faculty website is here.

Media Contact

Rebecca P. Arrington

Office of University Communications