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Trade marks
How Can I Enforce My Trademark Rights?

How Can I Enforce My Trademark Rights?

Should you discover that a competitor has been using your trademark without your permission, it is imperative to act efficiently and speedily. Should you fail to do so, your brand could experience reputational or financial damage. You can take several courses of...

Correct Use Of Trade Marks Online And Offline

Correct Use Of Trade Marks Online And Offline

If you are considering registering your business trade mark, you need to be aware of the correct use of trade marks online and offline. There are certain guidelines that must be followed by anyone who is establishing their trade mark and here, we take a look and those...

Example Of Trade Mark Confusion In The Marketplace

Example Of Trade Mark Confusion In The Marketplace

Trade mark confusion represents a major problem in the marketplace. A trade mark is a key element which stands your business apart from its competitors. Therefore, it’s important to carry out checks to ensure that there are no marks already in existence that would be...

When should you begin Infringement proceedings?

When should you begin Infringement proceedings?

If you believe that an unauthorised third party is using your registered trade mark to sell or promote their goods and services and is potentially harming your pre-existing reputation in the marketplace, you need to know when you should begin infringement proceedings...

Types Of Trade Mark Infringement

Types Of Trade Mark Infringement

There are three primary types of trade mark infringement in the UK that are cited in 1994’s Trade Marks Act. Violation of any of these can result in a penalty for the unauthorised third party. Acts which are considered to be a violation include: Fixing the sign onto...

Who can bring a Trade Mark Infringement claim?

Who can bring a Trade Mark Infringement claim?

If you’re considering bringing a trade mark infringement claim in respect of your already registered trade mark with a pre-existing reputation, you will need to know whether you are eligible to make the claim. Here, we take a closer look at who is eligible to bring...

MIND THE UK GAP! – Brexit and UK trade marks

MIND THE UK GAP! – Brexit and UK trade marks

Can I enforce my EUTM (or my registered Community Design) in the United Kingdom after the UK leaves the EU on 29 March 2019? UK traders as well as others who do business in the UK need to be aware that they could face a serious gap in protection if the UK should leave...

Why conduct a trademark search?

Why conduct a trademark search?

Conducting trade mark searches is an essential part of the process of choosing and protecting new brands. It is fair to say that it is also frequently the most frustrating part of the brand protection process for clients given the possibility that a proposed brand...

Jaguar pounces on unsuspecting luxury watch maker

Jaguar pounces on unsuspecting luxury watch maker

The recent news reports that Jaguar Cars has filed a trade mark infringement claim against luxury watch maker Christopher Ward is yet another warning to brand owners of the dangers of launching a new brand name without first carrying out the necessary trade mark...

NOTORIOUS trade mark suffers knock-out blow

NOTORIOUS trade mark suffers knock-out blow

The news that the new whiskey-brand EU trademark application of former Ultimate Fighting Champion, Conor McGregor, called “PROPER NO. TWELVE” has been published by the EU Trademarks Office following the withdrawal of his original brand name NOTORIOUS, is a reminder to...

Mac to Basics: McDonalds Trade Mark & Supermacs

Mac to Basics: McDonalds Trade Mark & Supermacs

Should MacDonald’s fast food restaurants be entitled to object to any brand featuring “Mac” or even “Mc “by other food traders? MacDonald's certainly thinks so which is why it has opposed a European Trade Mark (EUTM ) of the word SUPERMAC’S by Irish fast food chain...

Cease And Desist Letters For Trademark Infringement

Cease And Desist Letters For Trademark Infringement

Trade mark infringement can be a serious matter which needs to be addressed as soon as it is discovered. Companies, or individuals, who infringe a trade mark do not often understand the legal implications of copying or using a mark without permission. On the other...

Trade Mark Infringement Process

Trade Mark Infringement Process

Trade mark infringement is far more common than most business owners would expect. Brands that start developing a good reputation in the marketplace are often copied or imitated by other companies trying to capitalise on their growing goodwill. In this post, we will...

Trade Mark Infringement on Amazon

Trade Mark Infringement on Amazon

One of the more common questions that we get asked is about trade mark registration and infringement on Amazon, the popular online marketplace. As one of the most visited websites in the world and the biggest e-commerce site, Amazon offers various methods of reporting...

How to use your trade mark after registration?

How to use your trade mark after registration?

A common question that we get asked is how should a trade mark be used once you have obtained registration. Luckily, there are guidelines available for this, and I’ll summarise them in this post. Imagine a customer looking to buy a new pair of sunglasses. She finds...

The difference between the trade mark symbols ® and ™

The difference between the trade mark symbols ® and ™

Brand owners are often not familiar with the meaning of symbols in relation to their trade marks. The two most commonly-used trade mark symbols, are the letters “TM” in superscript - ™- and the letter R in a circle - “®” - although there are other symbols too, such as...

So, what happens to the EU trade mark if Brexit happens?

So, what happens to the EU trade mark if Brexit happens?

The upcoming European Union (EU) referendum is, as expected, dominating the news. The financial markets have been reacted badly to a strong possibility of a British exit, or Brexit, from the EU. There are a lot of questions that have been raised over various matters...

Jose Mourinho’s Trade Mark: Can Companies Own a Name

Jose Mourinho’s Trade Mark: Can Companies Own a Name

During the recent announcement of Jose Mourinho being signed as the manager of Manchester United, it was revealed that his name is a trade mark owned by Chelsea. This was reported to be a stumbling block which delayed the signing. This raises the question on whether a...

The Chinese Trade Mark Saga – Facebook Wins Trade Mark Case

The Chinese Trade Mark Saga – Facebook Wins Trade Mark Case

While Apple Inc lost its trade mark case in China, Facebook has made headway by winning their trade mark case for its own brand name. A Chinese vegetable oil and potato chips maker called Zhongshan Pearl River registered ‘face book’ in 2014, but the courts in China...

Registering your brand name

Registering your brand name

Registering a brand name can mean two different things. It can be either incorporating your company or registering your trade mark, which would be your brand. The latter is the more common understanding of the sentence ‘registering your brand’. How do you register...

Learning from Apple’s trade mark issues in China

Learning from Apple’s trade mark issues in China

Apple Inc, the tech giant, recently lost a court battle over the use of the word ‘iPhone’ on leather goods in China. A local company called Xintong Tiandi will continue to have the legal right to use ‘iPhone’ on leather goods. As expected, Apple wasn’t happy with the...

How to deal with a trade mark infringement threat

How to deal with a trade mark infringement threat

Building a brand takes a lot of work.  After all the effort and hard labour you’ve put into creating your distinctive brand, it’s not pleasant to find out someone is using or manipulating the materials you’ve created. If you’ve registered a trade mark and someone is...

Why you should use a lawyer to file your trade mark registration

Why you should use a lawyer to file your trade mark registration

Filing a trade mark registration can be an expensive process, so it is unsurprising that many people question whether they should try to reduce costs by filing the application themselves, rather than employing a trade mark attorney. However, it is important to weigh...

Changes To The EU Trade Mark Legislation

Changes To The EU Trade Mark Legislation

Attention business owners and entrepreneurs! As of March 23rd 2016, there’s a few changes being made to EU trade mark registration. If you’ve registered a trade mark in the EU or you were planning on doing so, you might need to take notice of a few changes....

A Startup’s Guide to Copyrights, Trade Marks & Patents

A Startup’s Guide to Copyrights, Trade Marks & Patents

As a growing number of people start their own businesses, they have to understand the basics of various matters which will affect their business. One area that needs to be understood by entrepreneurs is intellectual property (IP). In this post, we'll be defining the...

Domain Names & Trade Marks

Domain Names & Trade Marks

For many people there can be some confusion surrounding the terms trade mark and domain name, and this blog hopefully clarifies both terms as well as encourage startups and existing businesses to use companies with expertise in these areas. Will a trademark give you...

The International Trade Mark Registration Process – Infographic

The International Trade Mark Registration Process – Infographic

If you are thinking about expanding your business to other countries, or run an online business that can be accessed by people all over the world, then you may want to think about protecting your brand with international trade marks. If your business isn’t protected,...

5 Useful Tips For Registering A Trade Mark In The UK – Part 2

5 Useful Tips For Registering A Trade Mark In The UK – Part 2

This is a continuation of the the first part of 5 Useful Tips For Registering A Trade Mark In The UK. Read on for tips on how to register your trade mark in the UK. 3 - Prior searches Once you have a unique and distinctive mark, and prepared a list of goods and...

5 Useful Tips For Registering A Trade Mark In The UK – Part 1

5 Useful Tips For Registering A Trade Mark In The UK – Part 1

The process of registering a trade mark can be complicated, which is why we highly recommend that you use a trade mark attorney or a specialist solicitor to register your trade mark. Saying that, we also understand that some people are on a tight budget and therefore...

US Trade Mark Categories – Infographic

US Trade Mark Categories – Infographic

The process of registering a trade mark is different across the pond in the United States. Trade marks in the US are divided by categories, which are ranked by distinctiveness. This system allows the United States Patents and Trademarks Office (USPTO) to evaluate...

Understanding Trade Mark Classes

Understanding Trade Mark Classes

What is a Trade Mark? Briefly, a trade mark is a sign which can distinguish your goods/services from those of other traders. This can include: for example, words, logos, colours or a combination. Very often companies use their trade mark as a marketing tool, not only...

Trade Mark Search On The OHIM Database

Trade Mark Search On The OHIM Database

You can search the OHIM trade mark database on our website to find out if your trade mark is available. There are over 7 million registered trade marks in the OHIM database, which is the European registry of trade marks. Save time and money by searching our fast and...

Differences between an EU trade mark and a UK trade mark

Differences between an EU trade mark and a UK trade mark

From the 23rd of March, there have been changes to the EU trade mark registration process. This post has been updated to reflect those changes. Trade mark registration is territorial in the sense that you must generally register your brand on a country-by-country...

The Trade Mark Registration Process In The UK – Infographic

The Trade Mark Registration Process In The UK – Infographic

Trade marks registration can be a complicated process. This is why the entire process can take between 4 to 5 months. There is no guarantee that the trade mark will be registered, but if clear guide lines are followed and a trade mark attorney is involved, your trade...

The Trade Mark Registration Process In The EU – Infographic (Updated)

The Trade Mark Registration Process In The EU – Infographic (Updated)

From the 23rd of March, there have been changes to the EU trade mark registration process. This post has been updated to reflect those changes. The European Union (EU) provides business owners an opportunity to register a trade mark in all the member states of the EU...

Interactive Guide To Trade Marks We Use Without Realising

Interactive Guide To Trade Marks We Use Without Realising

Trade marks were invented for commercial purposes. They help protect a brand so that no one else can financially benefit from them. Some brands have become so successful that they are used by people without realising that they are trade marks. There is an upside and a...

Why Your Startup Needs a Trade Mark?

Why Your Startup Needs a Trade Mark?

It's hardly easy being a startup. There's lots of competition and resources can be limited. But shouldn’t you be looking ahead and registering your trade mark? When you're a startup, much of your time can be spent fine-tuning your product and perfecting your pricing....

Could JE SUIS CHARLIE be registered as a trade mark?

Could JE SUIS CHARLIE be registered as a trade mark?

The slogan “JE SUIS CHARLIE” has swept the globe fuelled by supporters of freedom of expression following the Charlie Hebdo magazine terrorist attack in Paris on 7th January 2015. Sadly opportunists are already trying to exploit this for commercial gain and attempts...

Why being too descriptive when choosing a trade mark is bad?

Why being too descriptive when choosing a trade mark is bad?

You can’t register a trade mark which is too descriptive. According to UK and EU law, descriptive marks are “trade marks which consist exclusively of signs or indications, which may serve, in trade, to designate the kind, quality, quantity, intended purpose, value,...