TMAE Summit RoundtablesUse on First: Researching Use for Conflicting Marks
Alt Legal Team | June 26, 2026
We’ll be making the most of our time during the lunch hour at the TMAE Summit by hosting small roundtable discussions on a variety of relevant topics. Each roundtable will have a host assigned to lead the discussion with pertinent questions, allowing you to share knowledge and resources and get to know your fellow conference attendees.
Roundtable Description
A mark’s use in the marketplace—and the strength of the rights behind it—isn’t always obvious from the face of a registration or search result. Whether you’re clearing a mark for filing, assessing a cited reference, or evaluating a conflict with another party, understanding the real-world context of use can make all the difference.
In this roundtable, Elizabeth Nunn of Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP will lead a practical discussion about investigating the marks behind the record: how they’re actually being used, how strong those rights may be, and where weaknesses or vulnerabilities might exist. Participants will discuss:
- Investigating a mark’s use through the USPTO, foreign trademark registries, Google, and other public sources
- Evaluating risks associated with cited or conflicting marks
- Identifying third-party uses, weak points in another party’s filing, and other facts that may help undermine a claimed conflict
- Auditing a client’s own use and related marks to spot vulnerabilities and uncover additional rights
- Using AI to support trademark investigations while recognizing its current limitations
View all TMAE Summit Roundtables here.
Learn more about the TMAE Summit here.
Roundtable Host
Elizabeth Nunn
, Branding Paralegal Supervisor, Olshan
Elizabeth Nunn has spent over three decades in intellectual property, with the last 15+ years at Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP, where she serves as Branding Paralegal Supervisor. She manages a high-volume trademark and copyright docket, advises clients and foreign counsel, handles USPTO filings, assists with TTAB matters as well as online brand enforcement matters. Elizabeth also writes regularly for the firm’s IP/Branding blog, including a recent crowd-pleasing presentation on Taylor Swift’s trademark portfolio. A former music major (French horn), Elizabeth brings the same discipline and attention to detail to trademark investigation that she once brought to the concert hall. When she’s not tracking down evidence of use, she’s likely planning her next trip or spending time with her family, including their two cats, Miko and Marcel.