Jones Day Sues Over Website Posting Attorney Home Purchase Info
Jones Day has sued a website that highlights lawyers—even posting their photos and linking to firm biographies—and other professionals who buy and sell their homes in Chicago, Las Vegas, St. Louis and South Florida.
After two Jones Day associates were featured on the BlockShopper site, the Cleveland-based BigLaw firm sued, reports the National Law Journal in an article reprinted in New York Lawyer (reg. req.).
It is alleging service mark infringement in the federal lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and also asserts claims for federal false designation of origin and unfair business practices under the Illinois Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act, among other issues, the legal publication reports. The suit seeks an injunction, damages and attorney fees.
After a Neal Gerber & Eisenberg associate’s home purchase was featured on BlockShopper, managing partner Jerry Biederman says, the law firm is looking into whether the posting violates privacy rights as well as intellectual property rights.
Additional coverage:
Post-Dispatch: “Giant law firm comes to aid of those being scrutinized”
Legal Blog Watch: “Jones Day’s ‘Gross Abuse of Trademark Law’”
Updated at 11:25 a.m. on Sept. 18, 2008, to include links to subsequent Post-Dispatch article and Legal Blog Watch post.
