Who has the right to control litigation involving alleged infringement of Bang Cookies' Licensed Marks?
Bang_Cookies Franchise · 2024 FDDAnswer from 2024 FDD Document
You are required to provide us with written notice of any claims that you may become aware of respecting the Licensed Marks, including your use of the Licensed Marks and/or any claim associated with a third party's use of a trademark that is identical or confusingly similar to the Licensed Marks. We maintain the exclusive discretion to take any and all actions, or to refrain from any action, that we believe to be appropriate in response to any trademark infringement, challenge or claim. As between us, we possess the sole right to exclusively control any and all litigation, legal proceedings, administrative proceedings and/or settlement(s) involving any actual or alleged infringement, challenge or claim relating to the Licensed Marks. You must sign all documents, instruments and agreements and undertake the actions that we, with
the advice of our legal counsel, determine to be necessary or advisable for the protection and/or maintenance of our interests in the Licensed Marks in any legal proceeding, administrative proceeding or as may be otherwise determined by us. As to the foregoing, we will reimburse you for the reasonable out-of-pocket administrative expenses that you incur and pay in complying with our written instructions.
We will protect your right to use the Licensed Marks and other related rights and to protect you against claims of infringement and unfair competition related to the Licensed Marks, provided that you use the Licensed Marks in accordance with the terms of your Franchise Agreement, as designated by us in the Manuals, and, otherwise, as we instruct you. We will indemnify you against direct damages for trademark infringement in a proceeding arising out of your use of the Licensed Marks, provided your use of the Licensed Marks comply with the terms of your Franchise Agreement, the Manuals, our written instructions and, that you have timely notified us of the claim, have given us sole control of the defense and settlement of the claim, and you are in compliance with your Franchise Agreement and, if applicable, Multi-Unit Development Agreement. If we defend the claim, we have no obligation to indemnify or reimburse you with respect to any fees or disbursements of any attorney that you retain.
If any third party establishes, to our satisfaction and in our discretion that its rights to the Licensed Marks are, for any legal reason, superior to any of our rights or of a nature that we believe, in our discretion, that it is advisable to discontinue and/or modify the Licensed Marks, then we will modify and/or replace the Licensed Marks and you must use the substitutions, replacements and/or variations of and/or to the Licensed Marks and use those trademarks, service marks, logos and trade names required and designated by us. In such event, our sole liability and obligation will be to reimburse you for the direct out-of-pocket costs of complying with this obligation, which you must document to our satisfaction, including, by way of example, alterations in signage and replacement of marketing materials.
Source: Item 13 — TRADEMARKS (FDD pages 38–39)
What This Means (2024 FDD)
According to Bang Cookies's 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document, Bang Cookies maintains the exclusive right to control any litigation, legal proceedings, administrative proceedings, and settlements related to actual or alleged infringement, challenges, or claims concerning its Licensed Marks. This means that Bang Cookies, not the franchisee, decides how to handle any legal issues related to the trademarks.
As a Bang Cookies franchisee, you are required to notify Bang Cookies in writing of any claims you become aware of regarding the Licensed Marks or any third-party use of similar trademarks. While you must sign documents and undertake actions Bang Cookies deems necessary to protect their interests in the Licensed Marks, Bang Cookies will reimburse you for reasonable out-of-pocket administrative expenses incurred while following their written instructions.
Bang Cookies will protect your right to use the Licensed Marks and defend against infringement claims if you use the marks according to the Franchise Agreement, manuals, and their instructions. Bang Cookies will indemnify you against direct damages for trademark infringement arising from your compliant use of the Licensed Marks, provided you notify them promptly, give them sole control over the defense and settlement, and comply with your agreements. However, Bang Cookies is not obligated to cover attorney fees if you hire your own counsel when they are defending the claim.
If Bang Cookies determines that a third party has superior rights to the Licensed Marks, they may modify or replace the marks, and you must use the new marks. In this case, Bang Cookies will only cover your direct out-of-pocket costs for complying with the changes, such as alterations to signage and marketing materials, which must be documented to their satisfaction. This allocation of control and responsibility is typical in franchising, as the franchisor needs to protect the overall brand and trademark rights consistently across all franchise locations.