Frank Azar’s billboards are commonplace in Denver and much of Colorado. (Denver District Court)
Frank Azar believes there is room for only one Strong Arm in this town.
The personal injury lawyer with the ubiquitous billboards and commercials is accusing a Texas law firm of treading on his turf, reigniting a 5-year-old tiff between them.
Brian “The Strong Arm” Loncar was a high-profile personal injury lawyer in Dallas. He and Azar met in 1990 and became fast friends, sharing a love of golf and fine cars. The two came up with “The Strong Arm” nickname together and both used it freely, without contention.
Loncar died of a cocaine overdose in 2016. The law firm he left behind, Loncar Lyon Jenkins, initially stopped using “The Strong Arm” name but resumed doing so in 2018.
The Loncar firm and Frank “The Strong Arm” Azar sued and countersued each other that year over who could use the moniker, for which Azar holds a trademark. They settled and signed a coexistence agreement, according to a new lawsuit that Azar’s firm has filed.
A screenshot from a television ad for Loncar Lyons Jenkins. (Denver District Court)
Their agreement refers to large swaths of the country as the “Azar Geographic Area” and “Loncar Geographic Area” and bars each firm from advertising in the other’s area, according to the Feb. 1 lawsuit, which accuses the Loncar firm of breaking that agreement.
“We’ve won millions for our clients and it’s our goal to do the same for you. Call the Strong Arm Team today!” instructs a commercial that Loncar Lyon Jenkins debuted in December.
Azar & Associates’ lawsuit claims that television ad has aired in the Midwest and Mountain West — pockets of the country that are firmly within the Azar Geographic Area.
“Loncar’s actions are particularly harmful because they specifically use THE STRONG ARM to target Azar and its potential clients within its home state of Colorado,” it said.
Loncar Lyon Jenkins did not respond to BusinessDen’s requests for comment about the lawsuit. A spokeswoman and attorney for Azar & Associates declined to weigh in as well.
Azar & Associates wants Denver District Court Judge Kandace Gerdes to bar the Loncar firm from using “The Strong Arm” name in Colorado, order it to pay up to $2 million for each trademark violation and order it to pay Azar & Associates’ attorney fees.
Azar’s attorneys are Michael Dulin and Clement Asante in the Denver office of Polsinelli.
Frank Azar’s billboards are commonplace in Denver and much of Colorado. (Denver District Court)
Frank Azar believes there is room for only one Strong Arm in this town.
The personal injury lawyer with the ubiquitous billboards and commercials is accusing a Texas law firm of treading on his turf, reigniting a 5-year-old tiff between them.
Brian “The Strong Arm” Loncar was a high-profile personal injury lawyer in Dallas. He and Azar met in 1990 and became fast friends, sharing a love of golf and fine cars. The two came up with “The Strong Arm” nickname together and both used it freely, without contention.
Loncar died of a cocaine overdose in 2016. The law firm he left behind, Loncar Lyon Jenkins, initially stopped using “The Strong Arm” name but resumed doing so in 2018.
The Loncar firm and Frank “The Strong Arm” Azar sued and countersued each other that year over who could use the moniker, for which Azar holds a trademark. They settled and signed a coexistence agreement, according to a new lawsuit that Azar’s firm has filed.
A screenshot from a television ad for Loncar Lyons Jenkins. (Denver District Court)
Their agreement refers to large swaths of the country as the “Azar Geographic Area” and “Loncar Geographic Area” and bars each firm from advertising in the other’s area, according to the Feb. 1 lawsuit, which accuses the Loncar firm of breaking that agreement.
“We’ve won millions for our clients and it’s our goal to do the same for you. Call the Strong Arm Team today!” instructs a commercial that Loncar Lyon Jenkins debuted in December.
Azar & Associates’ lawsuit claims that television ad has aired in the Midwest and Mountain West — pockets of the country that are firmly within the Azar Geographic Area.
“Loncar’s actions are particularly harmful because they specifically use THE STRONG ARM to target Azar and its potential clients within its home state of Colorado,” it said.
Loncar Lyon Jenkins did not respond to BusinessDen’s requests for comment about the lawsuit. A spokeswoman and attorney for Azar & Associates declined to weigh in as well.
Azar & Associates wants Denver District Court Judge Kandace Gerdes to bar the Loncar firm from using “The Strong Arm” name in Colorado, order it to pay up to $2 million for each trademark violation and order it to pay Azar & Associates’ attorney fees.
Azar’s attorneys are Michael Dulin and Clement Asante in the Denver office of Polsinelli.
