Ashish Mahendru, founder of Mahendru P.C. in Houston was quoted in the Texas Lawyer legal newspaper about why his client law firm Paranjpe & Mahadass is seeking a declaratory judgment asking a court to declare the firm can keep using its domain name and abbreviations P&M, PM and P&M Law.

In the story What’s In a Name? Houston Firms in Dispute Over Use of ‘P&M Law’ (subscription required), Mr. Mahendru explains that he filed for a declaratory judgment because his client has not infringed on common law trademarks another law firm with principals with the same initials alleges it owns. He argues that initialed law firms names are not protectable.

He told the newspaper that it’s absurd for the defendant (PM Law Firm with partners Porya Mostaghimi and John Papapavlou) to claim trademark infringement now in a demand letter, when both firms have practiced in the Houston area for several years.

Mr. Mahendru said this issue is one of first impression for Texas courts because it’s about law firm names. Lawyers are limited by disciplinary rules in what they can call their law firms. He said firms often abbreviate with their initials and there just aren’t enough letters in the alphabet to allow one firm to lay claim to parts of that alphabet.

The case is Paranjpe & Mahadass LLP v. PM Law Firm, PLLC,  No. 2017-31356 in the 152nd Harris County District Court.

Mahendru P.C. is a boutique commercial litigation firm whose attorneys are known for their tenacity, intelligence and experience. Founded in 2001, the firm has a simple philosophy: Your problem is our problem. We adopt it, understand it and solve it. Our objective is to resolve every case in the best, fastest and most cost-efficient manner possible. We never wait for our opponent’s next move, which means we spend a lot of time at the courthouse and are well-known there.