IP Law Daily, COPYRIGHT NEWS: Lego goes on the attack against alleged infringer, (May 1, 2025)

By Matthew Hersh, J.D.

The famous Danish toy-seller takes on a California company for patent, trademark, and copyright infringement.

A California toy-seller infringed the patents, trademarks, and copyrights of the world-famous Lego brand of products, a new federal complaint alleges. The complaint, filed in the district court for Connecticut, claims that the California company infringed on the trademark and copyright rights in the famous “minifigurine” figure as well as several design patents in the well-known building blocks that are used by children worldwide to construct toys from their own imagination (Lego A/S v. Veux Toys, LLC, No. 3:25-cv-00676-AWT (D. Conn. Apr. 29, 2025)).

The lawsuit was filed by Denmark-based Lego A/S, the world-renowned toy maker and vendor of numerous products under the LEGO® trademark. The company was founded in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, who started the company making wooden toys and selling them from his workshop in Billund, Denmark. (The word “LEGO,” the complaint explains, is an abbreviation of the Danish words “leg godt” meaning “play well.”) The company has since passed from parent to child with Thomas Kirk Kristiansen, great grandchild of the founder, representing the fourth generation of ownership.

The target of the lawsuit is Veux Toys, a California company that vends, among other things, a series of custom minifigures denominated LEGO products. The company’s website contains a disclaimer stating that “LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO Group of companies which does not sponsor, authorise or endorse any of our modification of their products, services or the Vuextoys.com website.”

LEGO’s complaint brings a wide variety of claims against the California company. One set of claims revolves around the famous Minifigurine figure, which has been purchased “hundred of millions” times, according to the complaint, since its introduction in 1978. According to the complaint. Veux sells figurines both individually and as part of certain toy sets, that are “confusingly, strikingly and substantially similar to the overall look and feel of the LEGO® Minifigure figurine,” including a Rick and Morty Inspired Custom Minifigure, a Spider-Verse Custom Minifigure Set, a Mandalorian Season 3 Building Set, and a Military Vehicle with 6 Custom Minifigures Building Blocks Set. Moreover, Veux’s website and social media accounts, according to the complaint, prominently display cartoon images that are “confusingly and substantially similar to the overall look and feel of the Minifigure figurine.”

The lawsuit also claims that the California company has infringed a series of its design patents. Over the course of more than 50 years, the complaint asserts, the LEGO Group has designed and sold “thousands of different unique bricks and toy building elements.” The complaint asserts that several of the design patents for these elements, such as “Building Block From A Toy Building Set” and “Toy Construction Set Element”—all of which will be readily familiar to Lego enthusiast—were infringed in Veux’s retailed products.

The lawsuit brings claims of copyright infringement, trademark infringement, false designation of origin, trademark dilution, and unfair competition under the Lanham Act, infringement of certain design patents under the Patent Act, and several common law and Connecticut statutory claims.

The Case is No. 3:25-cv-00676-AWT.

Judge: Thompson, A.

Attorneys: Andraya Pulaski Brunau (Day Pitney LLP) for LEGO A/S, LEGO Systems, Inc., and LEGO Holding A/S.

Companies: Lego Systems, Inc.; LEGO Systems, Inc.; LEGO Holding A/S Veux Toys, LLC

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