As a follow-up to yesterday’s announcement of a settlement between Pine Tree Legal Assistance and LegalMatch, I have learned that the scope of the settlement agreement extends beyond PTLA to bar LegalMatch from using the name of any legal aid organization and from using the term “legal aid” in any advertising.

Here are the key provisions of the settlement agreement:

“2. LegalMatch Shall Not Use the Disputed Marks. LegalMatch agrees that it shall not use any of the Pine Tree Marks in connection with any Advertising or the sale of any goods or services.

“3. LegalMatch Shall Remove Legal Aid Organizations’ Marks. If LegalMatch uses the name of a non-profit legal-aid organization—or the name of that organization’s website—in LegalMatch Advertising, and if that organization notifies LegalMatch of such a use, LegalMatch agrees that it shall immediately remove, or cause to be removed, such a term or terms from all Advertising.

“4. LegalMatch Shall Not Use the Term ‘legal aid’ in Advertising. LegalMatch agrees that it shall not use the term “legal aid” in any Advertising or the sale of any goods or services, because ‘legal aid’ is a term of art meaning ‘aid provided by an organization established especially to serve the legal needs of the poor.’ If LegalMatch uses the name ‘legal aid’ in LegalMatch Advertising, and if LegalMatch is notified of such a use, LegalMatch agrees that it shall immediately remove, or cause to be removed, such a term or terms from all Advertising.”

I am told that the National Legal Aid & Defender Association will set up a committee to monitor incidents of legal aid cybersquatting.

Photo of Bob Ambrogi Bob Ambrogi

Bob is a lawyer, veteran legal journalist, and award-winning blogger and podcaster. In 2011, he was named to the inaugural Fastcase 50, honoring “the law’s smartest, most courageous innovators, techies, visionaries and leaders.” Earlier in his career, he was editor-in-chief of several legal publications, including The National Law Journal, and editorial director of ALM’s Litigation Services Division.