Leonardo Art/Science Network under Legal Attack

LAWSUIT AGAINST LEONARDO Leonardo Art/Science Network under Legal Attack Roger Malina, Chairman of Leonardo/ISAST, San Francisco, has announced that the Association Leonardo in France is being sued for alleged trademark infringement for use of the word “Leonardo.” The legal suit against Association Leonardo has been filed in Nanterre, France, by Transasia Corporation and co-complainants. Transasia claims to have recently trademarked in France the names Leonardo, Leonardo Finance, Leonardo Partners, Leonardo Invest and Leonardo Experts. Transasia is claiming over a million dollars in damages based on their claim that a search engine request using the word “Leonardo” brings up not only their web sites but also those of the Leonardo arts organization. The suit asks that the Association Leonardo be forbidden from using the word “Leonardo” in its web site projects or any other products or services. Before issuing the suit, Transasia asked that a search warrant be served on the home of the widow of Frank Malina—the founder in the 1960s of the Leonardo Journal. The search warrant was served with no prior warning by a squad of eight policemen. Leonardo/ISAST and the Association deplore this attempt to destroy the activities of a 30-year-old network of artists and scientists that has championed the work of artists using new media and the sciences. A Leonardo Legal Defense Fund has been established: donations may be sent to Leonardo, c/o ISAST, 425 Market St., 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105, U.S.A. Leonardo/ISAST is a U.S. nonprofit 501(c)3 organization . Donations are tax-deductible in the U.S. Make checks payable to Leonardo/ISAST. For further information contact Roger Malina: leo@mitpress.mit.edu or visit . ...