SIDENOTE

Louis Vuitton awarded $3.5m in counterfeit case

Louis Vuitton Malletier, part of luxury goods group LVMH, said it has been awarded $3m in statutory damages and over $0.5m in attorney's fees and expenses following a counterfeit case against five companies in New York.

The company had filed the trademark counterfeiting lawsuit at the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, against LY USA Inc, Marco Leather Goods Ltd, Coco USA Ltd and the principals Chong Lam and Joyce Chan on a joint and several basis.

In August 2008, the court granted Louis Vuitton's motion for summary judgment and entered a permanent injunction, having found the defendants liable of "willful and intentional" counterfeiting and infringement of five of Louis Vuitton's trademarks, a company statement said.
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Nathalie Moulle-Berteaux, intellectual property director of Louis Vuitton, said: "We are extremely pleased that the court recognized both the importance of protecting what it called our 'valuable' and 'famous' trademarks, and the necessity of setting damages at a level that would serve as a deterrent against future illegal counterfeiting and infringement by these defendants and other similar enterprises.

"The level of damages awarded by this court should sound a clear warning to counterfeiters around the world that the U.S. legal system will impose serious financial consequences on those who bring their illegal products and actions to the U.S.

"Louis Vuitton is gratified by the U.S. Court's support of our ongoing efforts to combat counterfeiting, and we hope that awareness of the substantial financial penalties at risk will stop current and potential counterfeiters in their tracks."