Tonight, the Philadelphia 76ers take on the Toronto Raptors. Off the court, a very different dispute may be brewing for the 76ers.
According to reports, both the Philadelphia 76ers and their star center, Joel Embiid, are interested in obtaining trademark protection for the phrase "trust the process", which has become synonymous with the team's efforts to rebuild the franchise through drafting (and a fair bit of patience).
The 76ers reportedly filed a trademark application for "trust the process" in late September, whereas Embiid reportedly filed eight trademark applications for the same phrase in late November, covering items such as non-alcoholic beverages, toys, shoes, water bottles, bags, books, jewelry and cell phone cases.
The 76ers and Embiid do not only have each other to worry about in the quest to protect the "trust the process" phrase. There are reportedly multiple other individuals and organizations who have filed trademark applications relating to the phrase.
Author: Sandon Shogilev
Photo Credit: https://unsplash.com/@humadethis
Authors
Expertise
Insights
-
Intellectual Property Litigation
Browsing for Trouble? Intuit Defends Synchronized Browser Patent Infringement Claim
Intuit Inc. (“Intuit”), the owner of accounting software, TurboTax, has reportedly successfully defended against a claim alleging that TurboTax’s co-browsing feature infringes a patent owned by… -
Intellectual Property Litigation
CanLII and Caseway Reportedly Settle AI Copyright Dispute
As recently reported by Canadian Lawyer Magazine, CanLII has settled its copyright infringement action against AI-powered legal assistant, Caseway AI. The terms of the settlement are confidential, but… -
Intellectual Property Litigation
Cut, Sew, but Don’t Sell: South Korea’s Supreme Court Clarifies Trademark Limits
As recently reported by Korea JoongAng Daily, South Korea’s Supreme Court (second division) has issued its first decision regarding whether “upcycling” or customizing branded luxury goods can amount… -
Intellectual Property Litigation
Trademarks Opposition Board Moves to Digital-Only Submission of Confidential Information
As of June 1, 2026, the Trademarks Opposition Board (TMOB) requires all confidential evidence and documentation in proceedings under sections 11.13, 38, or 45 of the Trademarks Act (the “Act”) to be… -
Intellectual Property Litigation
Kansas City Chiefs Stars Sued for Trademark Infringement Over Steakhouse
The sneaker company, 1587 Sneakers, is reportedly suing Kansas City Chiefs players, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, along with their restaurant partners, for trademark infringement.1587 Sneakers… -
Intellectual Property Litigation
A Pecking Order Problem: Pudgy Penguins Faces Penguin Trademark Lawsuit
As reported by Bloomberg Law News, PEI Licensing (“PEI”), the owner of the Penguin apparel brand, has sued Pudgy Penguins NFT (“Pudgy Penguins”) for trademark infringement.Pudgy Penguins started as a…