Section 43 of the Lanham Act is an invaluable tool for intellectual property and commercial litigators. It includes causes of action for trademark infringement-type "passing off" claims, false advertising, trademark dilution, and domain-name cyberpiracy. It is the cornerstone for civil litigants seeking redress for competition-related torts in federal courts. However, Section 43(a) is not a general catch-all for commercial grievances, and is arguably the most misinterpreted and misapplied subsection in the Lanham Act, despite having an extensive body of case law delineating specific causes of action and proofs. Practitioners are well-advised to grasp its nuances before proceeding under the banner of "unfair competition".

In False Advertising and the Lanham Act Thomas Williams addresses false advertising claims under Section 43(a)(1)(B) of the Lanham Act. The book covers established precedent and Section 43(a) false advertising case law, including key decisions where…