ITC Blocks Converse Chuck Taylor Look-a-Likes for Certain Trademarks

In a wide-ranging investigation before the US International Trade Commission (ITC), Converse asserted four trademarks against 31 respondents in an alleged Chuck Taylor look-a-like industry. After 22 of those respondents settled and five more were defaulted, the ITC ruled Converse's diamond patterned sole trademark was indeed infringed, but rejected Converse's cap-toe and sole-stripe trademarks to the iconic shoe. The ITC then issued a sweeping General Exclusion Order (GEO) preventing any competing shoes with the diamond sole from entering the United States. The GEO is the ITC's greatest tool against copycats as it allows an entity to block the import of any and all infringing items at the border, regardless of whether the importer was a named respondent.