Mistras Group Wins Houston Trademark Lawsuit Against Sentinel Energy

HOUSTON, Aug. 8, 2012

Mistras was sued by Houston-based Sentinel Integrity Solutions Inc. in May 2010 over alleged trademark infringement related to a stylized logo. Mistras was represented by attorneys from the Houston-based complex commercial litigation and intellectual property law firm Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing P.C., or AZA, who filed a counterclaim contesting the validity of Sentinel's claimed trademark.

The judgment signed by Judge Gray H. Miller of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas in late July affirmed Mistras' counterclaim after jurors found that the Sentinel service mark was generic or descriptive. Judge Miller previously had granted a judgment as a matter of law in favor of Mistras based on Sentinel's original $8 million trademark claim.

The AZA team representing Mistras included name partners Todd Mensing and John Zavitsanos, and firm attorneys Elizabeth Pannill Fletcher and Jane Robinson.

"We are grateful the court ruled in favor of our client Mistras, and that the jury decided to dissolve the trademark as we requested," says Mr. Zavitsanos.

The case is Sentinel Integrity Solutions Inc. v. Mistras Group Inc., et al., No. 4:10-cv-01576.

Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing P.C., or AZA, is a Houston-based law firm that is home to true courtroom lawyers with a formidable track record in complex commercial litigation, including energy, intellectual property, securities fraud, construction and business dispute cases. AZA is one of only 32 firms in the U.S. to be recognized as "awesome opponents" in a nationwide poll of corporate general counsel who were asked to name the law firms they hope their companies never have to face in court. In fact, AZA has been hired on many occasions by the same companies the firm has prevailed against at trial. Read more at http://www.azalaw.com.