Converse Filed a Suit Against a JP Company Selling Look-Alikes

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Boston Magazine and Universal Hub have looked into a lawsuit this week involving two Massachusetts-based sneaker companies about to quarrel over an iconic design. Shoe giant Converse has filed a lawsuit in US District Court against Autonomie Project, a Jamaica Plain business making fair trade vegan merchandise, for selling a sneaker looking essentially identical to the notorious "Chuck Taylor" style. The eco-friendly Autonomie Project may have a hard time defending their case in spite of their well-intentioned product. Converse is asking for them to stop selling their supposedly trademark-infringing "Ethletic" line of sneakers, destroy the remaining inventory, turn over profits made from the sale of the shoes, and pay punitive damages and lawyers' fees. Whew. Should be interesting to see this play out.
· Converse Sues Jamaica Plain Shoemaker Autonomie Project [Boston Mag]
· Sneaker company wants to give competitor in JP the boot [Universal Hub]