Bridgit Veenings received an email from a Universal Studios lawyer on Wednesday, demanding she remove images of minions - little yellow creatures that appear in Despicable Meand Minions films - and cease trading under the Minions and Me name. Veenings used Minion imagery on Trade Me listings, Facebook promotions, her website and commercial vehicle.

Christchurch cleaner Bridgit Veenings does not want to change her business name, Minions and Me Cleaning Ltd, despite a legal threat. Veenings said the name actually came from the Alexander Minion character in the Spy Kids films, suggested by her teenaged sons. "The minion in that movie was a hard worker, and that's what we are - hard-working people doing jobs other people don't want to do," she said.

The Companies Office had not questioned the name choice when she registered it in October 2013, two months before Universal registered the "Minions" trademark.

Veenings said her business name did not come from the Despicable Me franchise but she admitted to branding her business with Minions imagery.

Gus Hazel, a partner at law firm James & Wells, which specialises in intellectual property rights, said Veenings risked litigation if she continued to trade under the "Minions" name. Hazel said he was unable to comment on specifics but Veenings' use of Minions branding could imply an endorsement by or an association with Universal. The fact Veenings registered her company prior to Universal registering the Minions trademark may not matter in court, he said.