Category Archives: Management

Financial Integrity and Legal Controversy: Inside ThinkStrategy’s Prolonged Battle

NEW YORK, 2024-May-20 — /REAL TIME PRESS RELEASE/ — ThinkStrategy Capital Management, a leading investment management firm, today announced a significant legal victory as all charges brought against it and its founder, Chetan Kapur, by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have been dropped. This decision comes after a protracted legal battle where ThinkStrategy demonstrated the baselessness of the SEC’s allegations.

For over a decade, ThinkStrategy Capital Management delivered outstanding financial returns to its investors, consistently outperforming the market, even during the tumultuous periods of the Great Recession. The firm’s rigorous investment strategies and commitment to investor transparency have been a cornerstone of its operations.

However, during these challenging economic times, ThinkStrategy and Mr. Kapur faced severe legal and regulatory challenges, stemming from what has been revealed as a series of unfounded accusations by the SEC. These allegations were not only without merit but were also shown to have been influenced by improper motives, as detailed in recent legal proceedings.

“The dismissal of these charges is not just a victory for ThinkStrategy but for the integrity of the financial regulatory process,” said Chetan Kapur, founder of ThinkStrategy Capital Management. “We have always upheld the highest standards of compliance and transparency, and this outcome reaffirms our commitment to our investors.”

Despite the financial and operational challenges posed by these legal battles, ThinkStrategy continued to protect and prioritize the interests of its investors, demonstrating resilience and ethical management during periods of significant market stress. The firm’s actions during the crisis exemplify the dedication and sacrifice ThinkStrategy is willing to make to safeguard investor assets.

ThinkStrategy Capital Management wishes to express its gratitude to the legal team, its loyal clients, and all those who supported the firm through this challenging period. Moving forward, ThinkStrategy is focused on continuing to provide exceptional service and investment returns to its clients.

SOURCE: EPR Network

Safeguarding Civil Airports: Advanced Anti-Drone Solutions by Bel Trading & Consulting Ltd.

WARSAW, Poland, 2023-Jul-21 — /REAL TIME PRESS RELEASE/ — Bel Trading & Consulting Ltd has established itself as a highly successful enterprise specializing in the provision of top-notch drone security services for civil airports. In today’s aviation landscape, the vulnerability of civil aircraft during takeoff and landing is well-known, especially when facing potential collisions with small objects, particularly in the engine area. While aircraft are designed to withstand the impact of a few small birds, they are susceptible to significant damage from unauthorized launches of large birds or metallic electronic drones in close proximity to airports. Such incidents pose severe risks to flight safety, causing system failures, accidents, and endangering passengers. Larger cargo and agricultural drones present an even greater hazard, capable of inflicting substantial damage in the event of a collision with an aircraft. To counter these threats, Bel Trading & Consulting Ltd offers an array of methods to combat unauthorized drone flights in areas surrounding airports during critical phases of flight.

Bel Trading & Consulting Ltd deploys sophisticated drone suppression systems, acting as a crucial defense mechanism against unauthorized drones near airports. The company provides standalone solutions as well as cutting-edge technologies from global leaders in the field, ensuring comprehensive security for aircraft during takeoff and landing.

At the heart of Bel Trading & Consulting Ltd’s drone suppression systems are interference jammers, designed to disrupt communication between the drone operator and the drone itself. By severing this vital link, the drone’s effectiveness is nullified in areas close to takeoff and landing zones. Additionally, the company employs GPS positioning suppression systems, rendering the drones incapable of navigating within restricted airspace, further reducing the risks they pose to aircraft.

Bel Trading & Consulting Ltd goes beyond mere interference and offers diverse solutions for intercepting and neutralizing unauthorized drones. These measures enable the swift removal of drones from sensitive areas near airports, significantly reducing the likelihood of accidents and enhancing overall flight safety.

The company provides comprehensive design services, catering to the specific requirements of individual airports. With a strong focus on practical experience and expertise, Bel Trading & Consulting Ltd ensures seamless integration of the systems into existing airport infrastructure. The result is full automation with minimal operator intervention, maximizing equipment performance and reliability. Moreover, the company offers continued support for equipment procurement, installation, calibration, and maintenance, guaranteeing consistent and dependable functionality of the counter-drone systems.

Bel Trading & Consulting Ltd’s anti-drone solutions have undergone extensive testing, proving their efficacy and practicality in real-world situations. As a testament to their reliability, these systems are already operational in numerous airports across Asia and Europe. In today’s aviation landscape, the deployment of such protective counter-drone systems is indispensable for any large civil airport, serving as a critical preventive measure for ensuring the safety of aircraft during takeoff and landing.

In a constant pursuit of innovation, Bel Trading & Consulting Ltd is further enhancing its anti-drone system to address the emerging threat of low-flying civilian drones near airports and air bases. The company aims to develop a flexible and versatile system, combining multiple methods, including interference with drone radio and GPS signals, to effectively divert or block the movement of unauthorized drones.

Bel Trading & Consulting Ltd values collaborative efforts and is committed to meeting customer preferences. Whether it involves supplying or procuring equipment to counter unauthorized drone flights or engaging in joint development of automatic systems, the company welcomes various forms of cooperation. Customer requirements and preferences are given utmost priority during the design, installation, and configuration of the counter-drone system. Through seamless collaboration, Bel Trading & Consulting Ltd ensures efficient completion of tasks within the planned budgetary framework.

In conclusion, Bel Trading & Consulting Ltd is at the forefront of providing state-of-the-art drone security solutions for civil airports. With an extensive range of advanced technologies and comprehensive services, the company plays a pivotal role in safeguarding aircraft during critical phases of flight. By continuously innovating its systems and solutions, Bel Trading & Consulting Ltd remains a stalwart in the fight against unauthorized drone flights, making significant contributions to enhancing aviation safety and security.

Media contact:

info@beltrading.net
https://beltrading.net/
Bel Trading & Consulting Ltd
Francis Peled
Phone +12132610301

Cole & Van Note Announces Sedgwick CMS Data Breach Investigation

Oakland, California, USA, 2022-Mar-05 — /REAL TIME PRESS RELEASE/ — Cole & Van Note, a leading consumer rights law firm, announces today its investigation of Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc on behalf of its consumers/clients, arising out the company’s recent data breach. According to the company, the private information of a massive number of people may have been stolen in the hacking of its information network. It is currently unknown how many people have had their information used for criminal purposes.

If you received a notice of this alarming data breach and/or have transacted in any way with Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc, your information may already be in the hands of cybercriminals, making your urgent attention to this situation very important.

Cole & Van Note is ready to discuss your options and can be contacted at (510) 891-9800, by email at sec@colevannote.com or through its  website by clicking below:

Cole & Van Note has been successfully handling consumer and employee rights matters since 1992. The firm has recovered compensation for millions of individuals and stands ready to help you get paid for your losses.

Attorney Advertisement. Our previous results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome.

Full Name: Scott Cole
Organization Name: Cole & Van Note
Phone: (510) 891-9800
Email Address: sec@colevannote.com
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SkyRFID strengthens support for U.S. customers with the completion of assets and management transfer from Canada to the U.S.A.

SkyRFID Inc. announces new USA incorporated firm, SkyRFID, LLC

Lansdowne, Virginia, United States, 2022-Jan-19 — /REAL TIME PRESS RELEASE/ — SkyRFID Inc. recently completed the transfer of assets and management from Canada to the U.S.A. advancing the support of U.S. customers, including the U.S. government. Long-time technology and equity partners, Geoff Dewhurst and Tim Shinbara, received approval from their respective Boards to continue the 30+ years of SkyRFID development, fulfillment, and operations from within the U.S. in early 2020 and founded SkyRFID, LLC in Lansdowne, Virginia in November of 2020. For SkyRFID, Inc., 2021 was a winddown and dissolution period. The two partners will continue to operate SkyRFID, LLC with Mr. Shinbara being named CEO and President and Mr. Dewhurst retaining Chief Architect duties and responsibilities.

Having merged the talent and resources from Mr. Shinbara’s ventures and experience into SkyRFID, LLC the firm will now be headquartered and operated from Lansdowne, Virginia, U.S.A. The Canadian dissolution transferred all assets from Ontario-based SkyRFID, Inc. to the new Virginia-based SkyRFID, LLC.

All Global Sky Partner channels conveyed to SkyRFID, LLC as well as current contracts, purchase agreements/orders, and projects which will all be subject to US and Virginia laws and policies as applicable.

SkyRFID, LLC continues the decades-long operation of solving asset management challenges, covering more than 135 countries. Solution integrations will continue to include NFC, RFID, RTLS, Wi-Fi, and IoT-based communication protocols and may support further interoperability with mobile cellular protocols such as GSM, GPRS, HSPDA+, 4G-LTE, and upcoming 5G protocols.

About SkyRFID, LLC
SkyRFID, LLC, the leader in Dynamic Asset Management, has become the “go-to” resource for security and tracking for real-time management of high-value, critical assets.

Having 30+ years of continuous improvement toward providing full scope capability, SkyRFID’s differentiation is realized in our consistent and reliable quality, optimal-cost hardware components end-to-end real-time tracking and reporting solutions; all which include our global consulting team supporting multiple industry verticals.

With its established global network of engineers, consultants, resellers, and system integrators, SkyRFID has become the premier partner for developing, implementing, and managing enterprise solutions.

SkyRFID assists at any or all levels from technical design to implementation of hundreds of RFID, sensor, and IoT technology projects each year, using its Global Sky Partner channel of over 500 companies in more than 135 countries to service local implementations and support.

For more information visit: www.SkyRFID.com

For sales information contact SkyRFID, LLC at +1 571-512-5262
E-mail: sales@skyrfid.com

Media contact:

Tim Shinbara
SkyRFID, LLC
19309 Winmeade Drive, Suite 900
Lansdowne, Virginia, 20176
+1 (561) 512-5262
TimS@SkyRFID.com
www.skyrfid.com

Good News For IT Professionals – A New Job Portal For IT Engineers Is Now Launched

An initiative to allow IT engineers and aspirants to apply for their dream jobs in global companies.

Pune, Maharashtra – India | May 25, 2021 — The launch of https://switch.do has thrown the doors wide open for IT engineers to explore more options for getting hired. The online job portals put thousands of IT jobs at the disposal of deserving job seekers, allowing them to land the jobs of their dreams!

Owing to the catastrophe caused by the COVID situation in 2020, getting the right jobs and keeping them had become a luxury. As several businesses shut their doors and thousands of professionals lost their jobs overnight, every sector of the industry went through a really tough time.

However, things seem to be improving in 2021 and Switch.do has taken the initiative to make IT engineers rejoice. Chitiz Agarwal, the founder and CEO of Switch.do believes that the platform will bring back the collective confidence of Indian youth that was lost during 2020.

He says, “We are well aware of the disastrous year that 2020 was. No deserving professional deserves to lose their job stay at home despite having all qualifications. Starting with the IT sector, Switch.do allows professionals with past experience and absolute freshers to look for the most suitable jobs on a single platform and regain the lost opportunity of working in the best of companies.”

Switch.do is associated with some of the most renowned names across the globe in the field of Information Technology, including Microsoft, Salesforce, Amazon, Accenture, IBM, Capgemini, Apple, Deloitte, and many more. The jobs posted on the portal are pertaining to an array of technologies, including Salesforce, AWS, Python, Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, Data Warehouse, Fullstack, Web Design, and many more.

Further, Switch.do offers IT jobs located at all major cities of India, including Mumbai, Pune, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bengaluru. In the future, the portal is likely to expand to include international locations like New York and Columbus.

Switch.do makes sure that the right users get the right job opportunities by using the AI technology, helping the candidates navigate through the platform better. The portal is designed to keep the user experience simple and wholesome. Every job post includes a detailed description of the same to provide all relevant knowledge (part-time/full-time/salary/location/work from home) to the candidate applying for it. Also, every company listed on the platform has a brief description for the users to know their potential employers better.

Further, Switch.do ensures that the jobs posted on the portal make use of the latest technology and advanced business processes. According to Chitiz Agarwal, “IT is a sector that needs to evolve constantly. Especially in the times that we are living in, it is important to be in sync with the latest technological trends to stay relevant in the industry. We have made sure that the jobs posted on Switch.do revolve around technologies that are upgraded and highly relevant in the realm of Information Technology.”

To visit the job portal and browse the jobs listed, click on the following link: https://switch.do. The Switch.do app can also be installed from Google Play Store for Android devices and Apple Store for iOS devices.

About Switch.do:

Switch.do is an online job portal for talented job seekers to find the right jobs. The platform is owned and managed by Chitiz Agarwal, who is also the founder and CEO of Techila Global Services, a renowned Salesforce Development Company and Salesforce Consulting Partner. As a follow-up to Switch.do, Chitiz plans on launching CompanyBench, an online B2B recruiting portal for IT companies.

To make the job hunt easy and flexible, Switch.do is designed with seamless customization on all digital devices, including mobile phones and tablets.

PR Partner: Public Media Solution

Press & Media Contact:
Ravinder Bharti
Public Media Solution
Office No. 46, Grant Road,
EON Free Zone, Kharadi,
Pune – 411 014
Maharashtra, India
+91 95999 33303
www.publicmediasolution.com

Louis Lehot Talks About Successful Leadership & Beyond

Palo Alto, California, USA, 2020-Aug-17 — /REAL TIME PRESS RELEASE/ — Louis Lehot, the founder of L2 Counsel, P.C., talks about his seven habits to being a better leader, especially when everyone is remote and distributed.

We sat down with Louis Lehot, the founder of L2 Counsel, P.C., and talked to him about his seven habits to being a better leader, especially when everyone is remote and distributed.

Louis Lehot

Louis Lehot is a corporate, securities, and M & A lawyer. His clients are public or private companies, financial sponsors, venture capitalists, investors, investment banks, in forming, financing, governing, buying, and selling companies.

According to Louis Lehot, here are some of the leadership qualities that good leaders strive towards:

Have Vision: Good leaders have a vision and purpose. They share their vision with their followers. A great leader explains why they are moving the team in one direction or another, shares their strategy and includes others in their action plan to achieve the desired goal.

Be understanding of evolving circumstances: Great leaders have empathy. Unfortunately, many leadership positions follow a dictatorial style failing to make a closer connection with their base. Understanding issues others in your circle have is the first step to become an effective leader.

Be ready to adapt to change: Covid-19 has thrown us for a loop, but as they say, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Great leaders follow this rule. They are resilient, have a positive attitude, and rally their followers. Great leaders also focus on solutions, not problems.

Strong EQ: Good leaders understand people, connect with people emotionally, and understand the problems of others. Emotionally intelligent leaders have a higher degree of social awareness, more effective communication styles, and are good at resolving conflicts. Leaders who have EQ not only handle conflict in a better way, but also play an essential role in conflict resolution.

Inspire Others: Probably the most challenging job for a leader is to persuade others to see things as they do. They also know you inspire others by setting a good example. When the going gets tough, people look to see how leaders react to the situation. As a leader, thinking positive and a positive approach should be visible, inspiring others through your actions.

Louis Lehot Trusted Corporate and M&A Lawyer

Decision-Making Capabilities: Many leaders have a futuristic vision; great leaders can make the correct decision at the right time. Decisions in any situation will have a profound impact on others’ lives, which is why a leader should think long and earnestly before acting. Once the decision is made and executed, stand by it.

Accountability: When it comes to responsibility, make sure that you are accountable for what you are doing. Good leaders are self-aware, realize their mistakes, and work diligently to improve. Holding themselves responsible for their actions goes a long way in creating a sense of responsibility among your staff. It will serve as an example so that they go about the business more seriously.

Louis Lehot is the founder of L2 Counsel. Louis is a corporate, securities, and M & A lawyer. He helps his clients, whether they be public or private companies, financial sponsors, venture capitalists, investors, or investment banks, in forming, financing, governing, buying, and selling companies. He is formerly the co-managing partner of DLA Piper’s Silicon Valley office and co-chair of its leading venture capital and emerging growth company team.

L2 Counsel P.C. is an elite boutique law firm based in Silicon Valley designed to serve entrepreneurs, innovative companies, and investors with sound legal strategies and solutions.

Media contact:

Louis Lehot
L2 Counsel, P.C. 407, California Avenue, Suite #2 Palo Alto, California 94306
Direct voice: +1.650.796.7280
Email: louis.lehot@l2counsel.com

Billionaire Richard Branson Called a Trademark Bully by the Trademark Law Professors of University of Washington, School of Law

Westborough, MA, 2020-Jul-30 — /REAL TIME PRESS RELEASE/ — Virgin has targeted to attack over 300 small companies & non-profit charities. Common sense says that the word ‘virgin’ cannot be owned by one individual or organization but Virgin has deep pockets to destroy those who dare to fight for their rights.

“Opposing trademark registrations in unrelated fields is the classic behavior of a trademark bully,” says Mike Atkins, an attorney at Atkins Intellectual Property who teaches trademark law at the University of Washington, School of Law.

That’s why it came as a surprise that Branson decided to send a threatening cease-and-desist letter (where he tells the small start up to either commit a business suicide right away or else Virgin lawyers will destroy it within 30 days) to I Am Not A Virgin, a small eco-friendly denim label, claiming that the company’s name infringes on his copyright, as the Telegraph’s Laura Hubbert reported on the case.

Richard Branson’s lawyers demanded environmentally friendly start up jeans label ‘I Am Not A Virgin’ to cancel their trademark (a trademark they have been lawfully granted and owned for almost 4 years before they received the threat letter from Branson – reports Ms. HUBBERT in her article.

“I guess I could rename my jeans Not Made By Richard Branson” – comments sarcastically the founder of the brand. Branson also demanded the small business owner cease to sell current stock of the jeans and removes them from the stores which for a small business is a financial suicide and a loss of all start up investment costs essentially leading to the end of a business.

“Common sense says that the word ‘virgin’ cannot be owned by one individual or organization. In other words, it’s stupid to claim a colour of your own, let say a word. Branson, who’s also well known for his support of environmental causes, apparently has failed to see that” – says Anderson Antunes in his Forbes article about Virgin’s abuse on small entrepreneurs.

Attorney at law, Widerman Malek, summaries in his comments: “If Richard Branson has his way, it might be. ” He adds: “Although sometimes considered a bully in the trademark office, they remain unapologetic for their stance.”

According to multiple news reports, in the past several years, the Virgin group has targeted over 300 companies who used the word Virgin in their name, URL or marketing slogan. Unfortunately, many of these 300 companies are small businesses who do not have the resources to fight back against a multi-billion dollar company with hundreds or even thousands of lawyers on their retainer. These small businesses almost always settle simply because they cannot afford to fight.

Widerman Malek brings up some of the companies Virgin attacked:

  • Virgin Vapors – a small vapor company located in California whose owner currently refuses to change its name despite being threatened by Virgin.
  • The owners of domain names virginthreads.com, virginpublishing.com, virginstar.net, and virgincigar.com. The Virgin group alleges cyberpiracy for any company using the name virgin in their domain, even if it is not their business name.
  • Author Cristina Crayn, who named one of her published books, “Tales from the Virgin Vault.”
  • Virgin Valley Cab – a cab company in the Virgin Valley geographic location of Northwest Arizona, who recently came to an agreement with conglomerate to stop using the name.
  • Las Virgenes United Educational Foundation – a nonprofit organization in the Las Virgenes School District. The Virgin Group attempted to block the trademark application. Evidently, any virgin will meet their criteria – no matter which language it’s in and if destroying charities for children is to take place.
  • I Am Not A Virgin – a New York clothing company which specializes in creating and selling denim products.
  • Virgin Air, a small airline in the American Virgin Islands, which no longer exists under this name due to Virgin’s lawsuits.
  • CBS Studios, who may be opposed by the Virgin Group in an attempt to trademark the name Jane the Virgin, which they will use as a sitcom name.
  • Last year, the Virgin group attempted to stop Valle Grande from trademarking a phrase that contained the words “virgin olive oil”, using the argument that Valle Grande currently only sells vinegar.
  • In 2004, the conglomerate sued a tiny apparel retailer called Virgin Threads in federal court in New York; the retailer dropped the name a year later as they could not afford to battle with Virgin any longer.
  • VIRGINIC – Purity Perfected – small cosmetics brand, selling “beyond organic”, handcrafted, allergy-free face creams in small batches. Virgin has been suing them with malicious, aggressive litigations, on the ongoing basis from 2018-2020 in multiple countries to starve them financially to business death, as Virgin did with other start ups. Interestingly, Virgin abandoned selling cosmetics years ago making public statements on their own website that they have no intention to sell beauty products. As of July 2020, VIRGINIC still refuses to be bullied and to give up their name.

The statement raised by all victims by Richard Branson and Virgin Group seem to be constant: they don’t feel it’s morally right to give up their start-up brands, hard work and dreams, just because there is a bully that says so.

“Why is Richard Branson trying to put us out of business?” – denim jeans company founder Peter Heron asked in this video posted to YouTube where he reads the harassment letter he has received from Richard Branson.

His video got over 13,000 supporters signing under it with their own name, encouraging Mr. Heron to not give up. Sadly, his brand was forced to surrender a year. Well done, Virgin lawyers, one more target destroyed.

Media contact:

Andrew Griffin
info@thebureauofinvestigativejournalists.com

Virgin’s unethical business practices against small start ups and non-profit foundations

Louisville, Kentucky, 2020-Jul-16 — /REAL TIME PRESS RELEASE/ — When it comes to big business versus small business, the deck is, and always has been, heavily stacked in favor of the giants, making sure it stays that way. Yes, there will always be David and Goliath stories held up as the reason for hope in these battles, but reality dictates that they are almost insurmountable obstacles in the path of a small entrepreneur.

There is, however, a more insidious and corruptive side to the competition that few, if any, really see or understand at all. The legal teams.

Companies like The Virgin Group and Sir Richard Branson retain the type of law firms that see no ethical issue in destroying anything and anyone on their way, no matter the cost, the merits and the human lives and dreams destroyed along the way.

Take billing, for example. Virgin Enterprises uses Norvell IP and A. A. Thornton, type of companies that sees fit to charge by the half hour for anything that they do, including a single phone call, running up bills of around $300 per call. Yes, you read that correctly…$300 PER CALL! Equally absurdly, they charge the same to write a letter, to attend a meeting or to send an email!

 

Ok, so Virgin and Sir Richard is worth billions, they can afford these costs and who cares? It’s their choice and their wallet, right?

Well, no. They make their pray pay for it.

The thing is, as the relentless (and oftentimes frivolous) stream of trademark infringement lawsuits are filed across the globe, those costs are, almost exclusively borne not by Virgin, but by the small business that they are making their claim against.

Take the case of Wyoming start-up, VIRGINIC LLC. Virgin decided, as they have done on so many occasions in the past, that they were unhappy with the UK Intellectual Property Office awarding VIRGINIC LLC their own brand trademark “VIRGINIC”. For a little context, let’s not forget that this is the same company that sued a Virgin Olive Oil producer, the TV show “Jane The Virgin” and even a Non-profit Educational Foundation, “Las Virgenes” for children, staffed entirely by volunteer parents! If you’re like most people, this alone can leave anyone speechless. Clearly, Virgin is not afraid to throw their litigation budget around even against non-profit children care foundations.

So, Virgin took umbrage to the idea of a company VIRGINIC LLC, regardless of the fact that the UKIPO had already awarded their trademark for their name to them. Virgin attacked and yet again the UK courts decided that there was no case to be heard and VIRGINIC should keep their own trademark.

Virgin lost the case, and the subsequent appeal, with VIRGINIC being awarded the princely sum of £300 in costs, and that, in any sensible judicial process, should have been that. However, Virgin’s lawyers managed to get the UK High Court of Appeals to agree to review the appeal of the case which, upon doing so, intrestingly awarded in favor of Virgin this third time around.

And here is the fun part; When VIRGINIC, a small “David” went up against the behemoth “Goliath” of Virgin and managed to not only show that common sense is still alive and well in some legal systems, but managed to do it on a shoestring budget, whilst a mammoth task and stupendous result given the odds, it appears that the ultimately necessary penny-pinching that all start-ups are likely to be forced to adopt, is the largest chink in their armor.

The reason for this is simple: Virgin lose and the judge awards costs in the order of £300 to the start-up. £300 which Virgin never actually saw fit to pay, regardless of the fact that they spend so much time in courtrooms arguing that their rights are being infringed upon and crowing for justice. This in itself is a pointer towards where this all goes wrong. You see, they cry foul and plead for justice as if the courtroom is a sacred place where all shall find their truth. In reality, when that truth is contrary to their opinion, they simply disregard the orders of the court and find somebody else to cry to.

Now, what happens when, at the third time of asking, they manage to find themselves a “friendly” judge? Well, their costs are awarded against VIRGINIC in the sum of…

Ready for this…?

£33,000 + £10,000!
With no right to appeal any further, conveniently.

So, Virgin “loses” and the bill is £300. I would guess that the lawyers charging $300 to make a phone call would probably be happy to pay that off themselves with the cash that they dropped down the sofa last night. However, when VIRGINIC loses, all those cups of coffee that the world’s most expensive secretaries were making suddenly add up to a sum of £43,000, so exorbitant, so utterly defiant of anything even approaching a reality that is in any way sustainable, that all suddenly becomes so very clear.

Virgin and, more importantly, Virgin’s lawyers LOVE finding random reasons to drag volnurable, small businesses (and apparently non-profit foundations too) into a courtroom because it is a no-loss situation for them. They literally don’t even bother paying the measly costs generated if they lose (Virgin pays) whilst running up such absurd bills themselves that, if they win, the small business is basically financially crippled to the point where it either ceases to exist or exists only for the purposes of paying off the legal bills. Small educational foundations like “Las Virgenes” for children, staffed entirely by volunteer parents are a no match with this malice legal practice backed by deep pockets of Virgin.

Is there a happy ending here? VIRGINIC is well off its knees trying to write one as we speak. Keep your fingers crossed and maybe the Wyoming case will prove more uncorrupted justice system in the US than the UK one.

Media contact:

Zac Andrews
International Consortium of Investigative Journalism
Louisville, Kentucky

Virgin hires private investigators to spy and find out where VIRGINIC employees live in the US. VIRGINIC wins with Virgin twice in the UK

Austin, Texas, 2020-Jun-09 — /REAL TIME PRESS RELEASE/ — Hypocrisy continues. Richard Branson claims to support small entrepreneurs and yet Virgin lawyers attack and destroy small start-ups.

Jolly Santa figure or a Business Bully?

Common sense says that the word ‘virgin’ cannot be owned by one individual or organization. After suing VIRGINIC, will Virgin now go after British Virgin Islands, the country? Or after Madonna for a song “Like a Virgin?”. Welcome to the Jungle where you can hire the most ruthless and manipulative lawyers, shall your deep pockets allow the cost.

Richard Branson, he of the goatee beard, shaggy hair and permanently fixed grin is not a man who needs to worry about money. His personal net worth is as of 2020 approximately 4.2 billion USD according to Google. The Virgin Group had an annual turnover in 2016 of around 25 billion USD. The Group’s business interests extend, to use the legal phrase, ad coelum et ad inferos. For those of us without a Classical education, that means up to heaven and down to hell, from trains on the ground to telecommunications in the atmosphere around us up to commercial space flight, Virgin has many fingers in many pies.

Of the many classes of goods and services marketed under the Virgin name cosmetics is not one of them. In June 2009, Virgin explicitly announced its intent to not use any mark containing the term “Virgin” in connection with the sale of cosmetics, skincare, and beauty products by announcing that it was “moving away from glamorous adventures in this particular retail sector.” A crystal clear statement of intent that stands to this day as Virgin still doesn’t sell cosmetics under the Virgin name and has long abandoned its mark with respect to cosmetics and skincare goods.

Enter stage right VIRGINIC LLC. Virginic was created two and a half years ago and is a startup specializing in mission-based, allergy-free, chemical-free beauty products with “virginic” level of purity, sold strictly through ecommerce channels. Small company with big ethos of superior standards of ingredients purity and ethics, vegan and unprocessed. Despite the fact that Virgin has no current or future interest in goods of this type, and that VIRGINIC is a different brand name than Virgin, Virgin has been aggressively pursuing a frankly absurd and bullying course of action against VIRGINIC for the past 2 years.

The logos of the two companies look nothing alike, the name of VIRGINIC is not similar and no person is going to think their VIRGINIC face cream has anything at all to do with Virgin Atlantic airline. There is no reason for Virgin to maliciously keep trying to destroy a company like VIRGINIC. It poses no threat whatsoever to Virgin’s business interests or to consumers but it is under attack by an army of lawyers in multiple countries, where employees are spied by lawyers, their linkedin profiles invigilated and people straight abused.

This sad state of affairs began when VIRGINIC LLC applied to register their trademark in the UK. In January 2018 the mark was accepted and published in the Trade Marks Journal in respect of Class 03, which covers cosmetics and skincare goods. The UK IPO governmental trademark officer accepted the trademark as it concluded no marketplace confusion nor even similarity. Virgin opposed it despite the fact that it does not sell cosmetics. As any reasonable person would expect, Virgin’s opposition failed, another senior UK IPO specialist decided VIRGINIC wins for a second time on the basis that the average consumer would not make a connection between VIRGINIC chemical-free cosmetics and Virgin Mobile.

However Virgin has massive resources and aggressive lawyers who appealed to the UK Court claiming that the original hearing officer was incorrect and his decision should be overturned. Additionally, aiming to destroy at all cost and against all merits, the lawyers attacked further demanding $50,000 from VIRGINIC.

Thomas M Monagan from Norvell IP, USA, together with Geo Hussey from A.A. Thornton in UK continued by opening more lawsuits in the USs and UK, serving litigation papers to unrelated companies that managers of VIRGINIC used to work for, all to harass the small company to the extreme point so they give up and destroy themselves on Virgin’s request. Virgin also hired a private investigators, as they disclosed to Court in Wyoming, to find out where employees and managers physically live.

In May 2020 same lawyers served VIRGINIC employees lawsuits via their private Linkedin profiles and to random email addresses found on the internet. Such actions could have been a Monty Python sketch, but sadly these days lawyers are apparently allowed to invade people’s privacy.

VIRGINIC stood strong and refused to be destroyed. A fight with multi billion dollar bully can cause significant hardship to any startup in its early stages. While Virgin has the resources to indulge in frivolous and harassing court cases, VIRGINIC does not.

This could bring any other company to its knees, halting operations and causing the lay offs of valuable and experienced staff, impacting the company and making its people jobless. Malicious lawyers applying a technique of continued harassment to burden financial resources of a smaller company and take an emotional toll on its staff is a technique called bullying. Where VIRGINIC should be concentrating on growing and developing its allergy-free and ethically-sourced products, which could change the face of the beauty industry, it is instead being forced to fight for its very survival even though it has done nothing against Virgin whatsoever.

Virgin’s lack of good faith and attempts of its lawyers to harass and destroy is even more clear looking at Virgin’s long history of trademark abuse. Even a cursory search of online sources will reveal multiple examples of trademark abuse and bullying small start ups.

However, like Pandora’s box, hope and VIRGINIC’s resilience is the one thing that remains. Hope that in Wyoming Court the common sense, merits and fairness will prevail in the law being applied in the spirit it was intended. The law need to let us hope that vindication will come in a win for VIRGINIC and continued growth and success in its pursuits of making the world better, one cream at a time.

Media contact:

Simon Hawley
International Consortium of Investigative Reporters
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VIRGINIC defends its case and stands up to Virgin after attack on Linkedin profiles of shocked VIRGINIC employees

SEATTLE, Washington, 2020-Jun-02 — /REAL TIME PRESS RELEASE/ — Last week Virgin launched a new attack on shocked VIRGINIC employees and threatened in court to serve them lawsuits directly to their Linkedin profiles. Virgin then followed its threats and served its lawsuits to unrelated email addresses of those individuals it found on the internet. Virgin revealed it has been spying on VIRGINIC employees social media and private Linkedin profiles and provided the Court daily screenshots of such profiles as evidence.

“Put it simply, it is bullying and VIRGINIC will stand up to it” – says a former employee of VIRGINIC, Mark Russell.

Thomas M Monagan from Norvell IP is the lawyer hired by Virgin in USA, together with Geoff Hussey from A.A. Thornton in UK to tear apart the business fabric of VIRGINIC and to destroy the start up company and force it to stop selling allergy-free organic creams.

According to Mark Russell, “the harassment Virgin lawyers have been maliciously applying for the past 2 years have adversely and financially affected many workers employed who lost their jobs because of the hardship caused by Virgin. Virgin has been trying to starve a small start up company financially to death for past 2 years and it’s a miracle VIRGINIC is still standing up straight by pure force of resilience, integrity and business pride”.

The former worker adds: “Virgin opened multiple lawsuits in multiple countries and demanded we close and commit a business suicide. VIRGINIC heroically stood up to it. All employees gave their 200% knowing it costs a fortune to hire lawyers in all those countries and a lot of us declared to work for reduced wage to support our mission-based company and stand up to bullying. Everyone with common sense knew Virgin’s claims were not only lacking factual merits but were in bulk part a legal manipulation aiming to attack for no reason, just like Virgin successfully destroyed through litigation many other start ups in the past including small Virgin Olive Oil producers”.

Question remains, should Virgin and its lawyers be held liable for damages they have caused including loss of jobs of VIRGINIC employees and financial hardships caused to many families? VIRGINIC is defending its case vigorously with the limited means it has but the irony is, what wrong did they do at the first place.

VIRGINIC is an honest, cruelty-free and natural-ingredients-only beauty company. The name is different from Virgin. They sell entirely different products. Their logo and branding is different. Customers buying VIRGINIC oraganic face cream jars online are certainly not confused thinking they are buying from Virgin Airlines/Mobile or Virgin Galactic.

Nevertheless VIRGINIC workers who lost their jobs due to high costs of multiple international lawsuits and whose private social media profiles are daily watched and taken screenshots of, are the ones to shoulder the burden. At the event of US Court eventually ruling for VIRGINIC, will the multi-billion dollar giant Virgin be ordered to compensate those employees for loss of income and privacy invasion?

Mark Russell comments: “US judges have a good reputation regarding protecting the rights of their citizens and US companies so despite Virgin’s army of lawyers and their tactics of spying and harassment on privacy, I hope the judge will make things right to VIRGINIC. I hope the saying that the party with more money for lawyers always wins, despite the merits and common sense, will not turn out to be a sad truth here. Maybe Richard Branson will be notified about what’s happening and will make things right”.

He adds: “There comes a point when you have to stand up to behavior of ruthless lawyers, because they destroy people and they destroy lives, just because there is a company with deep pockets willing to pay for it. Bullying like this scares and silences people but we all know this is not an acceptable practice. There needs to be accountability for false and malicious storytelling in courts and daily spying on private profiles and hiring private investigators to find out where those employees live, which is also what Virgin said in Court they did and presented those private investigators findings to Court as evidence. Virgin’s infamous and low litigation and personal harassment tactics are now a part of a public record so everything is out there to be seen and accounted for.”

A former employee who fell victim to this case, finishes by saying: “There is a human cost to this malicious bullying. VIRGINIC has continued to put on a brave face and has been boldly fighting back for the past two years, but I cannot begin to describe how painful it has been to many VIRGINIC employees. They lost their jobs, their privacy was violated. The multi-billion dollar giant attacked a small mission-based start up with no merits, because they could and because lawyers had to justify their fees. All this at the direct expense of many honest and hard working young people, their family income and the better mission-based future they have been building”.

The case progresses and it is unclear how quickly the Court might rule.

Additional Instructions: Other supporting articles

https://www.casemine.com/judgement/uk/5ca6e7cf2c94e01e252694dd
https://www.dyoung.com/en/knowledgebank/articles/virgin-virginic
https://www.worldipreview.com/news/virgin-fails-to-fight-off-cosmetics-tm-17033
http://www.businessdefencelaw.co.uk/virgin-successfully-opposes-registration-of-virginic-trade-mark/
https://trademarks.ipo.gov.uk/ipo-tmcase/page/Results/1/UK00003283156 (UK00003283156)
https://classifieds.usatoday.com/press/virgins-history-of-trademark-abuse/
https://bdaily.co.uk/articles/2020/04/20/virgin-demands-small-cosmetic-company-virginic-closes-and-starts-personal-lawsuits-against-its-managers-and-employees

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info@thebureauofinvestigativejournalists.com