Guidelines for Informational Use of Law School Admission Council, Inc. (“LSAC”) Trademarks by Third Parties

LSAC’s portfolio of trademarks are valuable assets in which LSAC has property rights.  Given the value and trust represented by LSAC’s trademarks, LSAC requires all third parties using and/or referencing LSAC’s trademarks to do so in a manner which minimizes confusion in the marketplace and avoids any implication that there is a legal relationship between the third party and LSAC.  Before using LSAC’s trademarks, please refer to these Guidelines for Informational Use of LSAC Trademarks by Third Parties (the “Guidelines”) and send any questions about these Guidelines via email to LSAC’s marketing and communications department at trademarkinfo@lsac.org. A list of LSAC’s trademarks is available at Trademarks Owned by the Law School Admission Council, Inc. (“LSAC”) for your reference. The list of LSAC’s trademarks is updated from time to time; it is your responsibility to regularly review it for any new information.

These Guidelines explain proper and improper uses of LSAC’s trademarks and are applicable to the use of LSAC’s trademarks in any medium, including, but not limited to print, multimedia, and any other form of electronic or online materials. If you are an Official LSAT content licensee with LSAC, you may have been granted special trademark usage guidelines within your license agreement. It is your responsibility to comply with the terms of the license agreement and these Guidelines (to the extent these Guidelines do not conflict with the terms of the license agreement). 

Any use of LSAC’s trademarks inures solely to LSAC’s benefit and any such use must comply with these Guidelines and your license agreement, if any, with LSAC.

No third party, including any licensee, is permitted to claim or assert any ownership rights in LSAC’s trademarks and/or utilize any brand, in any manner, that is confusingly similar to LSAC’s trademarks.

At LSAC’s discretion, LSAC reserves the right to approve or deny any request to use LSAC’s trademarks. If LSAC determines that any third party’s proposed use of the LSAC trademark may lead any person or entity to believe that LSAC is the source of the product or service, then LSAC will deny such third party’s request for use of the trademark. Any use of the trademark(s) without LSAC’s prior written consent may be an infringement on LSAC’s rights to the trademark(s) and may constitute unfair competition in violation of federal and state laws.

AUTHORIZED Use of LSAC’s Trademarks

  1. Accuracy. Any use of LSAC trademarks in text or title must truthfully convey information about LSAC products and services. You may not portray LSAC or its products or services in a negative, false, or misleading light.
  2. Publication Titles. If you use any of LSAC’s trademarks in the title of your publication, you must compose the title in such a way to avoid the appearance that it originates from LSAC.

     

    Suggested Titles: “Doe’s Guide to LSAT Exam” or “Jane’s Top 100 Tips for the LSAT Exam”

    Importantly, LSAC’s copyrighted material cannot be used without LSAC’s permission. To learn more about how to license official LSAT content for practice tests, coaching, book publications, marketing and more, see https://www.lsac.org/contact/official-lsat-content-licensing.

  3. Trademark Symbol. You must properly identify LSAC’s trademarks by using the appropriate trademark symbol (®, TM, or SM) next to the trademark.  View the list of LSAC’s trademarks.

  4. Attribution/Disclaimer. You must include the following disclaimer in a footnote to ensure proper attribution of LSAC ownership:

    [Trademark® or TrademarkTM] is a trademark [registered / owned] by LSAC, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, this [product/site].

    You are required to make the footnote clearly visible (e.g., appropriate type size, color, and placement) on all covers, packaging, advertisements, and websites, and in other media in accordance with the requirements set forth below:

    1. For print publications: The footnote/disclaimer should appear on front cover, back cover, and copyright page.
    2. On packaging, labels, advertisements, and promotional material: The footnote/disclaimer must appear on the same surface as the LSAC trademark.
    3. For websites: The footnote/disclaimer must appear on the website home page and on all internal web pages that contain or otherwise include LSAC’s trademarks. The appropriate footnote/disclaimer must be placed at the bottom of each respective page on the website. NOTE: Merely stating trademark ownership credit and/or including the endorsement disclaimer in the “Terms and Conditions” or “Legal Notice” sections of a website does NOT satisfy these Guidelines.

UNAUTHORIZED Use of LSAC's Trademarks

  1. Possessive or Plural Form. Do not use LSAC’s trademarks in the possessive or plural form.
  2. Combined Trademarks. Do not combine LSAC’s trademarks with any other trademark or design or use the trademarks in any manner that suggests or may suggest ownership by a third party. Proper separation must be maintained between you (including your company, product, services, brand name, and domain name) and LSAC trademarks.
  3. Company, Product, Service and Domain Names. Do not use or register, in whole or in part, any LSAC trademark, logo, or alteration, as part of company name, company tagline or slogan, product name, service name, social media page, Internet domain name, website address, or metatag.

  4. Publication Titles. Do not use LSAC’s trademarks in the main title of your publication, without identifying the source or owner.

    Incorrect Use: “LSAT Preparation and Practice App.”

    Correct Use: “Smith’s App for the LSAT® Exam”

  5. Appearance. To maintain a visual distinction between your product/service name and LSAC’s trademarks, the LSAC trademark must be smaller in font and size, and different in color compared to your product/service name. Your company or brand name should always appear prominently on your product or materials in a size that will immediately identify you as the source of the product or service.
  6. Variations or Abbreviations. You are strictly prohibited from removing, altering, modifying, distorting, or otherwise impacting any element of any LSAC trademark or brand feature, including using abbreviations of LSAC trademarks, in any way. For example, LSAT Writing® should not be altered or displayed as “LSAT II.”
  7. Implied Affiliation. Do not use any LSAC trademark or logo, or any potentially confusing variation, in any manner that expresses or implies affiliation with, sponsorship, endorsement, partnership or certification by LSAC. Third parties are also not permitted to use any LSAC trademark in such a way that implies a legal association or partnership with LSAC.
  8. Slogans and Taglines. Do not use or imitate any LSAC slogan or tagline.
  9. Logos. LSAC strictly limits the use of its logos. Any use of any LSAC logo without LSAC’s prior written consent pursuant to a written trademark license is expressly prohibited. Please contact LSAC’s marketing and communications department at trademarkinfo@lsac.org to request permission for use of an LSAC logo, which LSAC may deny in its sole discretion.

Fair Use of LSAC Trademarks

“Fair use” of an LSAC trademark is permitted without the express permission of LSAC when a third party solely refers to the LSAC product or service associated with the trademark. In such references, you must be truthful, must not disparage LSAC and/or any of its products and services, and must not mislead the public or imply that the products and/or services are endorsed by LSAC. Note: Any reproduction of any LSAC logo is strictly prohibited under fair use.

Any use of an LSAC trademark in association with a non-LSAC product or service without express permission is not considered fair use. For example, any advertisement for an LSAT® tutoring company is not allowed under fair use.

These Guidelines are not meant to be an exhaustive list of instructions and are subject to revisions from time to time at LSAC’s discretion.