Trademark law consists of the legal rules by which businesses protect the names, logos and other commercial signifiers used to identify their products and services. One of the principal goals of trademark law is to prevent consumers from being confused in the marketplace. Another goal is to prevent a business from trading off another business’s goodwill.
What is a trademark? Trademarks are a form of “intellectual property.” A trademark is a word, phrase, symbol or design, or combination of words, phrases, symbols or designs, which identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods or services of one party from those of others. A service mark is the same as a trademark, except that it identifies and distinguishes the source of a service rather than a product. Trademark rights are established through use of the trademark. Rights begin with either actual use of the mark or having a bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce at a later date. Once developed, a trademark can become one of your most valuable assets.
The Strong Firm P.C. provides comprehensive trademark services related to helping you understand and establish your intellectual property rights in your trademarks and trade names, as well as the protection of those certain rights.
Our trademark attorneys will help guide you through the life cycle of a trademark to ensure that all your rights are protected, including:
- Creation, selection and screening of your trademark
- Search clearance and determining the availability of your trademark in the marketplace
- Analysis of search clearance results
- Potential conflicts related to your trademark with others
- Preparation and filing of your trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or state trademark office
- Responding to office actions
- Protection of your trademark against others
- Maintenance of your registered trademark related to future deadlines
- Preparation of licensing agreements for the right to let others use your trademark
- Understanding common law rights in intellectual property