No. 24-1314

W.R. COBB COMPANY,

Plaintiff, Appellant,

v.

V.J. DESIGNS, LLC, d/b/a Galili & Co.; BENJAMIN GALILI,

Defendants, Appellees.

APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF RHODE ISLAND

[Hon. Mary S. McElroy, U.S. District Judge]

Before

Barron, Chief Judge, Lynch and Thompson, Circuit Judges.

Robert D. Fine, with whom Chace Ruttenberg & Freedman, LLP was on brief, for appellant. Kevin J. Bristow for appellees.

February 28, 2025 THOMPSON, Circuit Judge. This case involves a diamond business that never got off the ground. Appellant W.R. Cobb Company ("Cobb" or "Appellant") wanted to make and sell diamond products under the prestigious Forevermark brand -- one associated with high-quality diamonds. Unable to secure a license directly from Forevermark, Cobb sought out one of Forevermark's existing licensees, Appellee VJ Designs LLC ("VJ Designs" or "VJ") to propose a business collaboration