Dear Rich. I have a question. I'm a dentist and would like to use a crocodile as my logo. Will I get sued by Lacoste? I'm so glad you asked. Your question reminds me of the plight of two British dentists who, in their quest to fix British teeth, used a green crocodile as their logo. Lacoste sued over similarities to its logo but the UK Intellectual Property Office ruled (.pdf) that (1) the marks were distinguishable (partially because the dentists used a composite mark--a mark that combines words and logo), and (2) that consumers were unlikely to confuse polo shirts with root canals. (Click for more information about teeth and crocodiles.)
To learn more about trademark here on this side of the pond, check out the 8th edition of Trademark: Legal Care for Your Business & Product Name, by Attorney Stephen R. Elias (Nolo).
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