Published 1 October 2026
In brief: The EUIPO's Opposition Division has rejected, in their entirety, two oppositions brought against the EU trade mark applications for CONNOR LEGAL, one for the word mark and one for the firm's logo. Both marks were registered on 26 September 2026, giving N. Connor LLC protection for the CONNOR LEGAL name and logo across all 27 EU member states.
The opposition
N. Connor LLC applied to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to register CONNOR LEGAL as an EU trade mark in two forms: the word mark (EUTM No. 019173828) and the figurative mark, the firm's black and green logo (EUTM No. 019169370). The applications cover legal services in Class 45, together with business and other services in further classes.
On 13 June 2025, an Italian company that owns an earlier figurative EU trade mark, "ConLor", opposed both applications (Oppositions No. B 3 241 603 and B 3 241 604). It argued under Article 8(1)(b) of the EU Trade Mark Regulation that the public was likely to confuse the two brands, directing the oppositions at our legal services and at part of the business services covered.
What the EUIPO decided
On 25 June 2026, the Opposition Division rejected both oppositions in their entirety and ordered the opponent to bear the costs. To give the opponent's case its best footing, it examined the oppositions as if the services were identical, and still found no likelihood of confusion. Its main findings were:
- The signs are only weakly similar. The marks were visually similar to a low degree and aurally similar to a below-average degree, and were not conceptually similar. Shared letters were not enough: the overall impressions of "ConLor" and "Connor Legal" were, in the Division's words, "strikingly different" when considered as a whole.
- Buyers of legal services pay close attention. The relevant public was found to exercise a high degree of attention when choosing a legal or business adviser, because these services are not bought every day and can have serious consequences.
- The same reasoning applied to the logo. The figurative opposition, which also targeted Class 36 services, was rejected on the same basis.
Registration across the EU
Following the decisions, both applications proceeded to registration:
| Mark | EUTM No. | Registered | Protection until |
|---|---|---|---|
| CONNOR LEGAL (word) | 019173828 | 26 September 2026 | 16 April 2035 |
| CONNOR LEGAL (figurative) | 019169370 | 26 September 2026 | 8 April 2035 |
The registrations were published in the EU Trade Marks Bulletin on 30 September 2026. Each lasts ten years from its filing date and can be renewed indefinitely. CONNOR LEGAL® is now a registered EU trade mark of N. Connor LLC.
Why it matters
A registered EU trade mark gives one exclusive right across the whole single market, enforceable against confusingly similar names and logos in every member state. For a firm whose clients are in Cyprus and abroad, that means the name clients know us by is protected wherever they find us.
The case also shows how EU oppositions are decided in practice. An earlier mark that shares a few letters is not enough to block a later application: the EUIPO compares the marks as a whole, and it takes account of how carefully the relevant public chooses. For brand owners facing an opposition, a reasoned defence on those points can carry the day.
Facing an opposition, or planning to protect your own brand across the EU? See our EU trademark registration service and fixed fees, or email info@connorlegalllc.com.
Official sources
- EUIPO Opposition Division, decisions of 25 June 2026 in Oppositions No. B 3 241 603 and B 3 241 604
- EUIPO certificates of registration, EUTM No. 019173828 and 019169370 (registered 26 September 2026; EU Trade Marks Bulletin No. 2026/186, 30 September 2026)
- Regulation (EU) 2017/1001 on the European Union trade mark, Article 8(1)(b)
