Continues to sue entrepreneurs who use the word entrepreneur — Entrepreneur Media
Got ‘entrepreneur’ in your name? If you publish information to help entrepreneurs, you might be sued.
Entrepreneur Media (EMI), the firm that publishes Entrepreneur magazine, continues to file lawsuits against people that use the term entrepreneur in their name or domain name.
The latest lawsuit was filed July 2 against JMD Entertainment Group, a Maryland firm that owns the domain name entrepreneursedge.tv.
You’re not alone if you find the firm’s enforcement against entrepreneurs a bit ironic.
The firm especially goes following anyone who offers services to entrepreneurs when these firms logically choose to include the term entrepreneur in their name. If you publish content regarding local entrepreneurs, you’re likely on the firm’s target list.
In 2010, an Austin man sued EMI following it threatened him over the domain name Entrepreneurology.com. The case was ultimately voluntarily dismissed but EMI now owns the domain name.
If you’re keeping score at home, here are federal lawsuits the firm has filed since last year:
Entrepreneur Media, Inc. v. JMD Entertainment Group, LLC et al, July 2 2010 – against firm using name “Entrepreneurs Edge”
March 5, 2012: ENTREPRENEUR MEDIA, INC. v. GRAY et al – defendant operates NJentrepreneur.com regarding entrepreneurs in Fresh Jersey (still ongoing)
Feb 1, 2012: Entrepreneur Media, Inc. v. Mitchell Schlimer et al – defendant has a mark for Entrepreneur Hall of Fame and owns the web site theehalloffame.com (voluntarily dismissed, defendant still owns domain)
Dec 6, 2011: Entrepreneur Media, Inc. v. Yeung – defendant owneds SFentrepreneur.com (case dismissed, EMI now owns the domain)
Nov 16, 2011 Entrepreneur Media Inc v. Nikhil Vaidya et al – defendant published The CEO Entrepreneur Magazine (voluntarily dismissed)
Sept 8, 2011 Entrepreneur Media Inc v. Lawrence Capital Management LLC – defendant operated TheEntrepreneursBlog.com (voluntarily dismissed, EMI now owns the domain)
Sept 8, 2011 Entrepreneur Media Inc v. Light Point Holdings Corporation et al – defendant owned Entrepreneur-Ave.com, and also allegedly published copyrighted articles owned by EMI on the site. (voluntarily dismissed, EMI now owns domain)
Aug 2, 2011 Entrepreneur Media, Inc. v. entrepreneur-magazine.info et al – in rem case against two domain names
May 27, 2011 Entrepreneur Media, Inc. v. B-Entrepreneur.com et al – in rem case, domains transferred
May 27, 2011 Entrepreneur Media, Inc. v. Entreprenuer.com – filed as in rem case over typo, domain owned by Frank Schilling’s Name Administration (settled, now owned by EMI)
May 11, 2011 Entrepreneur Media Inc v. American City Business Journals Inc et al – complaint over the Austin Business Journal’s site ABJEntrepreneur.com (settled, defendant still owns domain but changed branding a bit)
April 15, 2011 Entrepreneur Media, Inc. v. SEATTLEENTREPRENEUR.COM et al – in rem case against SeattleEntrepreneur.com and AustinEntrepreneur.com. (default judgement, domains transferred)
March 8, 2011 Entrepreneur Media, Inc. v. e-entrepreneur-magazine.com et al – in rem case against e-entrepreneur-magazine.com and entrepreneurmagazine.org (domains transferred)
September 15, 2010 – Castro v. Entrepreneur Media, Inc. – Guy sues Entrepreneur following it threatens him. Case settled, Entrepreneur now owns domain Entrepreneurology.com
[Note: I’m not saying all of these cases are without merit. Clearly, some of them are with merit.]
