Babowal & Associates, Inc. v. University of Cambridge Local Examination Syndicate

MEMORANDUM **

Babowal & Associates, Inc. (“Babowal”) appeals an adverse summary judgment in favor of the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate and other Defendants (collectively “Universities”). The Universities appeal the district court’s denial of attorneys’ fees under 15 U.S.C. § 1117 (a). We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291 , and we affirm.

We decline to consider arguments raised for the first time on appeal that Babowal is entitled to use the Universities’ trademarks under the nominative fair use doctrine, or alternatively, that the Universities improperly denied Babowal the right to use its certification mark. See Cold Mountain v. Garber, 375 F.3d 884, 891 (9th Cir.2004). The district court properly concluded that the Universities maintained actual control over the quality of goods sold under them trademark and that the Letter of Intent represented a revocable license rather than a outright assignment of interest.

Even assuming the district court misapplied California’s “pleading around” rule, see Chabner v. United of Omaha Life Ins. Co., 225 F.3d 1042,1048 (9th Cir.2000) (citing Cel-Tech Comm., Inc. v. Los Angeles Cellular Tel. Co., 20 Cal.4th 163…