Law professor fights company’s claim to ‘Rapunzel’ trademark

BOSTON – A Massachusetts law professor is fighting a California company’s trademark claim to the name Rapunzel.

Suffolk University’s Rebecca Curtin is asking federal trademark officials to reject an application from United Trademark Holdings, saying the fairytale character belongs to the public.

The Beverly Hills company makes dolls and other toys based on children’s stories. It applied for the rights to Rapunzel for dolls in November.

Curtin is represented by another Suffolk law professor and students in the Boston school’s intellectual property clinic.

An attorney for United Trademark Holdings tells The Boston Globe that Curtin doesn’t have authority to challenge the trademark because she isn’t a competitor.

The company has many other trademarks including “Teen Rapunzel,” ”Zombie Pinocchio” and “Zombie Cinderella.”

Company officials have until June 18 to respond to the objection.

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Information from: The Boston Globe, http://www.bostonglobe.com