Morrow Ni Delivers Major Summary Judgment Win in IP Case

Morrow Ni is proud to announce a major litigation victory on behalf of its client, Quince, in a trade dress infringement and unfair competition dispute with Deckers Outdoor Corporation, the maker of UGG footwear.

In a ruling issued on October 2, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted partial summary judgment in Quince’s favor, holding that Deckers’ asserted trade dress rights in its UGG Classic Ultra Mini and UGG Tasman footwear are generic and unprotectable under federal and state law.

The Court’s order dismissed Deckers’ trade dress and unfair competition claims based on those designs, and further barred Deckers from pursuing a “lost profits” damages theory tied to its patent infringement allegations. Deckers’ own motion for summary judgment was denied in full.

“This is a resounding win for our client and for consumers,” said Xinlin Li Morrow, the Morrow Ni partner who led the case. “The Court recognized that companies cannot have perpetual monopolies over widely used, common footwear styles by claiming them as proprietary trade dress. We are proud to have achieved this outcome for Quince.”

The decision underscores Morrow Ni’s track record of success in high-stakes intellectual property disputes, particularly in cases at the intersection of fashion, consumer goods, and technology.

The Morrow Ni team includes Xinlin Li Morrow, Lawrence Yuan, and Ryan McMenamin.