Danish toymaker Lego is again using Connecticut federal court to wage a legal battle against competitors it says are infringing on its world-famous toy blocks.
Lego, the world’s largest toymaker with its U.S. headquarters in Enfield, has filed suit against two separate toymakers accusing them of copyright infringement.
One suit is against a familiar foe, Best-Lock Construction Toys Inc., a Florida-based rival that Lego has sued in the past for making toy blocks similar in look and shape to Lego’s 1.5-inch-tall, trapezoidal action figures.
In the latest suit, filed Feb. 10 in Connecticut federal court, Lego is accusing Best-Lock of infringing on its patented “Friends” figurines, which were introduced in 2012 and have been a popular seller to girls.
Lego said Best-Lock is making miniature figurines similar to its Friends’ characters. Specifically, the infringing figurine, Lego claims, is marketed and sold in Best-Lock’s “Fairy Tale High” toy sets, or as a “Best-Lock Fairy Tale High” case.
Meantime, Lego is also suing Canada’s Mega Brands for infringing on the same Friends toy line. Lego says the infringing figurine is marketed and sold in Mega Brands’ “My Life As” toy sets.
Lego says both copyright infringements are causing the company irreparable harm. It also says Best-Lock and Mega Brands are violating the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act. Lego is asking for monetary damages and a permanent injunction to stop both companies from producing their respective blocks.
Lego has also asked the U.S. International Trade Commission to block those toys from being imported into America.
Lego and Best-Lock have been in legal tussles dating back to 1998, and while a fight over toy blocks may seem like child’s play, typically hundreds of millions of dollars in future sales can be at stake for the companies involved.
Lego, in particular, has a significant stake in protecting its trademarked products. Just last week, Consultancy Brand Finance named Lego the world’s most powerful brand, a ranking determined by several metrics including consumer loyalty and ad recognition. It was the first time Lego made the list’s top spot, knocking Ferrari from the No. 1 position.
Best-Lock, Mega Brands, and Hartford lawyer Elizabeth A. Alquist, who is representing Lego, didn’t not respond to email requests for comment.
— Greg Bordonaro