Litigation

Was NSSTA Asleep at Switch on "CSSC" mark?

By John Darer

The National Structured Settlement Trade Association (NSSTA) has been offering the designation of Certified Structured Settlement Consultant for almost 15 years in conjunction with the University of Notre Dame.

The NSSTA and the 550 or so members and designation holders use and have used the acronym "CSSC" to go along with such professional designation in conjunction with essentially "financial and insurance consulting".

According to Whois records,  the URL cssc.com is registered to Consulting Services Support Corporation of Troy, Michigan and has been since March 1999.   Download CoolWhois.com - WHOIS searc.. CSSC

According to United States Patent and Trademark Organization (USPTO) records Consulting Services Support Corporation of Troy, Michigan declared its first use of "CSSC" mark on June 1, 2004, in connection with, among other things " financial and insurance consulting".  Download Trademark Electronic Search.. CSSC

On June 2, 2004 Consulting Services Support Corporation filed an application with the USPTO to register the trademark "CSSC" both domestically and internationally in IC036. US 100 US 101 and 102 which includes " financial and insurance consulting" along with a $335 fee. The basis if the application was "intent to use" Download CSSC App to USPTO 6-2-2004.

On October 25, 2005 the "CSSC" trademark application was published for opposition so that anyone, including the National Structured Settlement Trade Association (NSSTA) could object. Download 76595107 Published for Opposition

On October 10, 2006 the USPTO issued the domestic registration 3154546 to Consulting Services Support Corporation of Troy, Michigan. In addition the company claims International Registration 0851910 

As a member of the NSSTA shouldn't you be asking the question on whose watch this happened?  What now?

Full post as published by Structured Settlements 4Real on July 13, 2009 (boomark / email).