Jillian Popplow, a small business owner in Yarmouth, N.S., halted sales of her “sex, drugs & lobster rolls” T-shirts after receiving a trademark notice from Nadyne Kasta, who claims the phrase is unique to her brand, The Girl From Away. Kasta, who applied for the trademark in 2021, argues her business popularized the phrase, which she now uses on various products. Intellectual property lawyer Reagan Seidler explains that trademark holders must enforce their rights to avoid losing them. The trademark approval process involves a two-month window for public opposition before it is officially registered.
