As previously reported, a district court in California recently rejected a trademark infringement claim by Puma against Forever 21 because of insufficient evidence of irreparable harm. Skechers has now won a round against Adidas in a court in Portland, where the judge similarly felt that the Big a was not facing irreparable harm. In the suit, launched last July, Adidas had alleged that Skechers' Mega Blade sneakers were infringing two patents behind the “leaf spring” elements of its own Springblade midsole. The judge found on willful infringement because Skechers started selling the Mega Blade one year before Adidas was granted the patents in May 2016. The case is not over yet, as Adidas' other patents have yet to be reviewed by the U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board, but Adidas has not obtained a preliminary injunction. Adidas has accused Skechers of copying the design of its classic white Stan Smith sneaker in another judicial case that is due for a trial in April 2018.

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