Lawyers Wrestle Over Use Of 'Strong Arm' Phrase
DENVER (CBS4) - Lawyers are fighting lawyers over a slogan.
The three words at issue in a lawsuit moved to Denver Federal Court are "The Strong Arm."
The commercials using those words are familiar to those in Colorado.
"I'm attorney Frank Azar. Do what injured people have been doing for over 30 years," one says.
But there are other "strong arms" showing their muscles.
John Foy is based in the Atlanta area.
"Get the upper hand. Get the strong arm," he says in one of his television commercials posted on YouTube.
In the lawsuit, Foy argues he's been Georgia's strong arm since 2005.
He registered that with the Secretary of State there in 2012.
But Azar claims he has the rights having registered "The Strong Arm" nationally in the same year.
CBS4 asked legal analyst Karen Steinhauser who might have the stronger arm in this case.
"I'm not sure that having lawyers in different states who use the name The Strong Arm is going to create confusion," she replied.
Court records indicate Azar sent Foy a Cease And Desist letter asking him to end the use of "The Strong Arm." Foy is now asking the court to make a declaration if he should be allowed to continue the use of that slogan.
It turns out there is no shortage of attorneys around the country calling themselves by that nickname.
"I'm attorney Frank D'Amico Jr., The Strong Arm", a commercial from New Orleans states.
"I'm attorney Dean Boyd The Strong Arm. If you're in a car wreck, call my office in Amarillo," another shouts.
Before getting on a plane to leave the country, Azar told CBS4 the lawsuit, originally filed in Georgia, is "frivolous" and expects to enter a motion to dismiss.
One other "Strong Arm" attorney in Texas had a commercial featuring an arm wrestling match which could serve as as a guide for the lawyers on how to settle the matter out of court.
CBS4's Rick Sallinger is a Peabody award winning reporter who has been with the station more than two decades doing hard news and investigative reporting. Follow him on Twitter @ricksallinger.
