Oved & Oved LLP Secures Second Circuit Court of Appeals Holding in Favor of The Lawfare Project In Landmark Trademark Dispute

NEW YORK, Aug. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In a historic ruling, Oved & Oved LLP secured a precedent-setting victory for its client, The Lawfare Project (TLP), before the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. For the first time since the Lanham Act was enacted nearly eight decades ago, the Court recognized that two organizations may jointly own a trademark when the mark is incubated through collaborative efforts.

The Court's decision affirms Oved & Oved LLP's earlier trial victory in the Southern District of New York, where a jury unanimously rejected Zioness Movement Inc's ("ZMI") attempt to claim exclusive control of the "Zioness" trademark and declared TLP to be both co-founder and co-owner of the Mark. Together, these decisions cement TLP's rightful role in the creation, development, and continued stewardship of the Zioness mark.

Brooke Goldstein, founder and executive director of The Lawfare Project, praised the outcome:

"We are thrilled with the Court of Appeals' recognition of the The Lawfare Project's central role in creating Zioness as well as the lack of merit in ZMI's claims. This decision ensures that we can fully exercise the rights and benefits of co-ownership and co-registration of the Zioness trademark—a hard-earned and deeply meaningful victory made possible by our extraordinary attorneys at Oved & Oved."

The case carries sweeping implications for trademark law, as it provides clarity for collaborative entities—particularly nonprofit and mission-driven organizations—regarding their rights to intellectual property developed through joint initiatives.

The Lawfare Project's legal team of Darren Oved, Terrence Oved, Aaron J. Solomon, and Timothy Savitsky commended the judiciary for its consistency and commitment to upholding trademark protections and noted the broader importance of the ruling:

"This decision is an acknowledgment by the Second Circuit not only of fundamental principles of trademark law, but also of TLP's pivotal role in incubating and setting the creative trajectory of the Zioness movement. Beyond this specific dispute, the ruling safeguards the ability of organizations to protect their messaging and the intellectual property they develop internally and in partnership with others."

This victory confirms The Lawfare Project's dedication to defending civil rights and ensuring that its mission-driven initiatives retain their integrity and reaffirms Oved & Oved's reputation as a formidable litigation firm adept at handling complex intellectual property disputes.

SOURCE Oved & Oved LLP