Settlement in trademark dispute
Mediation between two clothing manufacturers from the Greater Poland region. Avoided a court case worth 120k PLN.
Two clothing factories from Greater Poland were in dispute over the look of the logo on a new collection of hoodies. The situation was tense because goods worth over a hundred thousand PLN lay in warehouses. We helped find a way out that saved the sales season for both companies.
The challenge
The conflict started in April 2024. Moda-Polska S.A. accused a smaller sewing shop from Gniezno of copying a graphic symbol. At stake was 120,000 PLN in damages and a complete sales block of 420 sets of clothing. A court case would mean at least 21 months of waiting for the first verdict. The companies stopped talking to each other. Lawyers exchanged only sharp pleadings. The atmosphere in both factories was terrible, and losses grew with each week of downtime.
Our approach
We sat down for talks in mid-June. Our team organized 3 strategic sessions. The first took place on neutral ground in Poznań at Roosevelta St. Instead of analyzing legal paragraphs, we focused on hard numbers. Facts beat emotions, so we calculated the cost of lost profits. We used the touchpoint seeking method to separate owners' pride from real profit. We looked for a solution that would allow both brands to stay on the market without a sense of failure.
The solution
We developed an agreement that came into effect on August 14. The sewing shop from Gniezno agreed to modify the logo in the next production batch. In exchange, Moda-Polska S.A. allowed the sale of the current batch of goods without charging financial penalties. We prepared a precise schedule of graphic changes. We closed everything in one out-of-court settlement. The document was approved by the court within 12 business days. No one had to pay damages.
Results
Thanks to mediation, both companies avoided a costly and long trial. They maintained good relations on the local market and could focus on selling the autumn collection.
Timeline
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June 2024First meeting and analysis of claims of both parties.
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July 2024Joint strategic session in Poznań.
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August 2024Signing of the final settlement and court approval.
"The beginning was difficult because we didn't believe the other side would let go. Mediation at Chodkiewicz & Partners showed, however, that time matters, not being right at any cost. We saved a lot of nerves."