WEX Inc. Secures Preliminary Injunction Against HP.
WEX (NYSE: WEX), the global commerce platform that simplifies the business of running a business, has obtained a preliminary injunction to stop the infringing conduct of HP Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (collectively, โHPโ) and to protect the WEX brand.
Despite WEXโs decades of use of the WEX name, in March 2024, HP announced the launch of its own “WEX,” a misappropriation of WEX’s trademarks. WEX filed a federal lawsuit against HP on April 11, 2024, and moved for a preliminary injunction one day later. After hearing argument by the parties on July 1, 2024, Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. of the United States District Court for the District of Maine issued an opinion on July 9, 2024 granting in full the preliminary injunction against HP that WEX requested.
As the Court held in ruling that WEX was likely to succeed on the merits of its claim that HPโs conduct infringed WEXโs trademarks, โthe evidence favoring WEX is overwhelming.โ
“We are pleased that the Court recognized that HPโs use of the ‘WEX’ name would inevitably cause confusion in the marketplace, and put a stop to HPโs infringing conduct,โ said Sara Trickett, Chief Legal Officer at WEX. โWEX is committed to protecting the WEX brand and our customers from the confusion caused by HPโs actions. We look forward to obtaining a permanent injunction at trial.โ
The opinion granting a preliminary injunction can be viewedย here.
WEX Inc. is represented by Megan Bannigan, David Bernstein, Christopher Ford, Nicole Flores, and Kendra Berry of Debevoise & Plimpton LLP and Gavin McCarthy and Nolan Reichl of Pierce Atwood LLP.
