February 22nd, 2018
A trademark dispute between The Hershey Company and Oakland-based Harborside Health Center drew attention after the confectionery giant accused the cannabis dispensary of selling products that infringed on its trademarks. Hershey's attorneys demanded $20,000 in damages and a confidential settlement, despite Harborside's role as a retailer rather than the manufacturer of the disputed cannabis products.
Our very own Henry Wykowski, serving as Harborside's attorney, was featured in coverage published by ABC7 San Francisco and NBC10 Philadelphia discussing the dispensary's decision to challenge Hershey's demands. After months of negotiations, Harborside filed suit against Hershey's in December 2017. According to Henry, Hershey's subsequently agreed to a settlement establishing that Harborside had no legal liability for the alleged trademark infringement. The case was voluntarily dismissed on January 31, 2018.
The dispute highlighted the growing importance of intellectual property protections, trademark enforcement, and legal representation within the cannabis industry. Harborside's favorable settlement demonstrated the importance of challenging disputed legal claims and protecting cannabis businesses from potentially costly litigation.
