Block Inc. Can Keep Using Name in H&R Block Trademark Spat (1)

Financial technology company Block Inc. can continue using its name in connection with its tax preparation services after a split Eighth Circuit reversed a trademark injunction won by H&R Block Inc.

The ruling comes in a battle following Block Inc.'s 2021 “rebrand” from Square, offering guidance to practitioners seeking to secure early court orders blocking trademark use during legal disputes.

H&R Block was unable to show that Block Inc.'s name change would cause “substantial consumer confusion,” so an injunction at this early stage of the case isn’t warranted, Circuit Judge Ralph R. Erickson wrote for a 2-1 panel majority. They ...