Defending the Future of the Future Scouts: a 21st Century Decentralized Scouting Organization
Parents looking for alternatives to traditional youth programs may be confused by the appearance of two organizations doing business as the “Future Scouts”.
LOS ANGELES, CA, USA, December 29, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ — Parents looking for alternatives to traditional youth programs may be confused by the appearance of two organizations doing business as the “Future Scouts“. Will the real Future Scouts please stand up?
Future Fields LLC, as owners and original creators of the alternative scouting program Future Scouts (est. 2016), have filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court in Los Angeles against Future Scouts Inc., Sandeep “Sonny” Caberwal and Nick Taranto alleging trademark infringement, false designation of origin, false endorsement, passing off, common law trademark infringement and unfair competition (case #2:2021cv07478).
Future Scouts is a decentralized, alternative scouting organization for 21st century learners of all ages and genders. Launched in Los Angeles in 2016 by world builder Ishan Shapiro as a by-donation summer program for youth, it has grown into an international learning program that has served over 2000 learners in 250+ workshops in 5 countries.
In a recent ruling in the case by Hon. Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald, the court found that defendants Sandeep Caberwal, Nick Taranto and Future Scouts Inc. presented no argument against the likelihood of consumer confusion created by their use of the mark “Future Scouts”. Judge Fitzgerald remarks, “The marks are identical, and Defendants’ utilization of the mark was clearly intended to coopt Plaintiff’s mark given Defendants’ offer to purchase the mark and Defendants’ assertion that its use of the mark was predicated on Plaintiff’s putative abandonment.”
Despite the findings of the court that Future Fields LLC has demonstrated continued use of the Future Scouts mark sufficient to establish non-abandonment, and that Future Fields LLC is both first to use the mark in commerce and first-to-file for trademark registration, defendants Sonny Caberwal, Nick Taranto and Future Scouts Inc. continue to do business and operate as the Future Scouts with their competing program.
“This is a useful lesson for not just our organization, but all Future Scouts, about what one can do and how one can respond when another party coopts their idea and identity. It’s a learning opportunity we look forward to sharing more about. We are heartened by Judge Fitzgerald’s findings in our case and will take up the Court’s offer to take this to an expedited trial, if necessary.” said Ishan Shapiro, Program Director of Future Scouts and CEO of Future Fields LLC.
Future Fields LLC is represented by R. Joseph Trojan of Trojan Law Offices (Beverly Hills).; Future Scouts Inc. is represented by Robert W. Clarida of Reitler Kailas & Rosenblatt LLP (New York City), and Edwin F. McPherson of McPherson LLP (Los Angeles).
About Future Scouts (est. 2016)
Future Scouts (est. 2016) is an international scouting organization for 21st century learners of all ages and genders. The mission of the Future Scouts is to prepare learners with survival skills for the 21st century through transformative learning and service opportunities.
The Future Scouts create experiences, invent tools and develop technologies that help youngsters, teens and adults become self-directed, lifelong learners. Future Scouts promotes a self-directed, lifelong learning approach for education with no age ceilings, no gender limits, no geographical borders, and no cost barriers.
Sign up for spring sessions today at https://futurescouts.cc
DeKoven Ashley
Future Scouts
+1 440-738-8873
hq@futurescouts.cc
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