I would like to just add that your site (PRManna) does kinda have the same look and feel of Shankman's site (HARO). I don't believe this is a coincidence. And its not like this look and feel is common.
I have no idea when it changed (and I can't find a screenshot of how it was before), but I submitted a request to HARO about six weeks ago and it looked nothing like it does today, so at some point in the last couple months they launched the current redesign.
EDIT: Until very recently, HARO looked like this (url says December 2009):
When did PRManna launch? If it was before the redesign of HARO I think you've got him. Send a polite letter back saying:
your happy to (and have) remove references to HARO from PRManna
that a simple email indicating this was a problem would have been sufficient. Express concern over the need for lawyers
that you believe the HARO redesign came after PRManna design was created
indicate you feel the matter is now concluded happily for you
but that if they wish to continue to pursue "frivolous" claims you believe you have the evidence required to obtain full damages from HARO due to the design copyright infringement
that you will be happy to countersue
IANAL but that is what I would do. Throw the ball politely back into their court - in the meantime, as a "just in case", speak to a lawyer a build a case. If they reply back aggressively file the suit straight away. It will probably scare him off. (as I said IANAL and I dont know much about this guy; so it might not work).
I've employed a roughly similar tactic before against someone with a frivolous claim who thought he could win by flexing muscles. When I filed against him there was about a week of disbelieving silence when he realised I knew where I stood legally. At which point it all stood down (I accepted an contract between us in which he accepted I wasnt infringing on him as he had asserted previously).
That's the last piece of advice: probably dont pursue the suit. Because if you give him time to get his head straight then he has more cash to buy sneaky lawyers and build a case. Accept any reasonable offer (preferably a contract like I described because then he cant lick wounds for a month or so then come back and hit you with big guns)
Countersuing is a pretty common and effective method. Big companies do it all the time. Claiming you were actually first with that design completely undermines their case.
Comments
I would like to just add that your site (PRManna) does kinda have the same look and feel of Shankman's site (HARO). I don't believe this is a coincidence. And its not like this look and feel is common.
Screenshots of PRManna running locally on my dev box on March 5th, 2009 (note the TipJoy widget):
http://img.skitch.com/20100227-bfr884xr63ffm3ducic3t2qq7r.jp...
I have no idea when it changed (and I can't find a screenshot of how it was before), but I submitted a request to HARO about six weeks ago and it looked nothing like it does today, so at some point in the last couple months they launched the current redesign.
EDIT: Until very recently, HARO looked like this (url says December 2009):
http://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/img/2009/12/1214haro.j...
Maybe I should sue them...perhaps they somehow saw my screenshots and decided to copy them! :)
When did PRManna launch? If it was before the redesign of HARO I think you've got him. Send a polite letter back saying:
your happy to (and have) remove references to HARO from PRManna
that a simple email indicating this was a problem would have been sufficient. Express concern over the need for lawyers
that you believe the HARO redesign came after PRManna design was created
indicate you feel the matter is now concluded happily for you
but that if they wish to continue to pursue "frivolous" claims you believe you have the evidence required to obtain full damages from HARO due to the design copyright infringement
that you will be happy to countersue
IANAL but that is what I would do. Throw the ball politely back into their court - in the meantime, as a "just in case", speak to a lawyer a build a case. If they reply back aggressively file the suit straight away. It will probably scare him off. (as I said IANAL and I dont know much about this guy; so it might not work).
I've employed a roughly similar tactic before against someone with a frivolous claim who thought he could win by flexing muscles. When I filed against him there was about a week of disbelieving silence when he realised I knew where I stood legally. At which point it all stood down (I accepted an contract between us in which he accepted I wasnt infringing on him as he had asserted previously).
That's the last piece of advice: probably dont pursue the suit. Because if you give him time to get his head straight then he has more cash to buy sneaky lawyers and build a case. Accept any reasonable offer (preferably a contract like I described because then he cant lick wounds for a month or so then come back and hit you with big guns)
Countersuing is a pretty common and effective method. Big companies do it all the time. Claiming you were actually first with that design completely undermines their case.