Archive for the ‘Trademarks’ Category

How To Choose A Trademark Attorney

Friday, November 25th, 2011

Trademark law is the niche of law that is concerned with numerous principles and then requirements. Imperatively, the service of the trademark attorney that specializes in the said law is needed for different kinds of circumstances. Included therein are the trademark application, evaluation of a trademark search, and the registration of a trademark product or name.

In more ways than one, lawyers are essential because they provide legal counsel to their clients. In the event that you wish to ensure that your application for a trademark will be completed without future hassles, you essentially need to work with a qualified lawyer. He will be the one to guide you every step of the way and advise you when a mark or symbol is safe to register under your name.

But then again, the problem arises when you are faced with numerous trademark attorneys who have made their own names in the market. Choosing can be quite confusing especially when you don’t have any background about what the characteristics of a lawyer must be.

To start with, never ever choose your lawyer based only on some form of advertising or the so called lawyer referral service. The lawyer referral services don’t guarantee that the abilities of all lawyers included in their listings are efficient. These listings preferably accept anybody who is willing to shell out some cash for the membership fee. This referral service mostly refers clients to those “trademark lawyers” in their listings. Thus, it is very much possible that the attorney may have little or no experience at all in the said field. And if you chance upon someone who is like that, then, most probably you are risking your chances of pursuing a safe and sound application of your trademark registration.

It’s really a good idea to probe a little deeper into the subject of Trademarks. What you learn may give you the confidence you need to venture into new areas.

Advertising is then another very poor method of finding one trademark lawyer who will be willing to work with you. Many of these trademark lawyers actually advertise their names and practices as if they are running out of time. But, in truth, they are simply very desperate people who need money from their clients.

A good way of spotting an attorney is by recommendation. That means, the person who makes the referral has had a first-hand experience of the services provided by the lawyer himself. A good attorney then provides an individual attention and ensures that he is involved in everything. He then involves himself in all aspects of trademark searching and then the trademark application filing.

Apart from which, see the lawyer’s education. Where did he earn his trademark law degree? Where did he earn his experience? How far has he gone with his career in terms of trademark assistance? Normally, when the person has been educated from a prestigious institution and provided that he has been practicing for many years, then, you can bank on these aspects.

Also, you may inquire on the lawyer’s reputation and see if he really works legally by checking on the governing office. A list can also be provided to you should you need several names to inquire about in your attempt to choose the best one.

Most importantly, your trademark attorney must be one with whom you will be comfortable to deal with. This will ensure that you can ask all questions and get reliable answers in return.

About the Author
By Suraya – Your main sources and articles. Share your opinion and advice here!

Legal Options When It Comes To Conflicts On Trademarks And Domains

Saturday, November 19th, 2011

The best course of action to take sometimes isn’t clear until you’ve listed and considered your alternatives. The following paragraphs should help clue you in to what the experts think is significant.

As an owner of highly recognizable trademarks and domains online, there is a big chance that sooner or later you will be involved in a conflict questioning the ownership and control of these trademarks. This should not come as a surprise. When this happens, the natural course is for the conflicts and disputes to be referred to courts. The only issue here is that the courts of law tend to act slowly on cases of this kind, so at times you have to wait a lifetime for the issue to be settled. The other option for you is to avoid the courts and to bring the issue to the domain name registrars. This is an understandable move since most of the conflicts results to the similarity in domain names.

If the road taken is with the courts of law, then there are set of steps that should be performed. The complainant should present legal arguments why the domain name registered under the name of the other person should be revoked or cancelled. This can be a difficult case to argue, and this is true for individuals who failed to register the trademark under his or her name.

But this has been resolved with the passing of relevant laws. For example there is a statute that will protect companies against personalities who register the domain name that is almost similar and confusingly similar to the existing trade name or domain name.

Was the trade name or domain name registered in bad faith?

Now there is a sufficient ground to file a case against someone who deliberately registers a similar domain name provided that some factors are satisfied. Here are some of these factors that are often validated by the courts of law.

? Does the person hold the rights over the domain name?

? Is the domain name the same legal name of the owner or identified with the owner in one way or the other?

It’s really a good idea to probe a little deeper into the subject of Trademarks. What you learn may give you the confidence you need to venture into new areas.

? Did the domain name owner already made a commercial transaction even before the filing of the complaint?

? Is the domain name owner using the name in a fair manner?

? Is there that deliberate attempt by the domain name holder to divert the consumers from the original trademark owner in a confusing way just to gain undue advantage?

? Has the holder of the current domain tried to put the domain or trade mark name in the market for profit without the objective of clearly selling goods and services?

? In connection with this, has the owner of the domain name behaved in such a way that the domains was only registered only to sell it afterwards without the intent of really using the trade mark in a commercially viable way?

? Did the owner of the domain trade mark used questionable information in order to apply for domain and trade mark registration?

If it has been established that the first company behaved in a questionable manner when it first registered the domain and the main intent was to deceive, then there is a legal basis for the complaint on the trademark.

There’s no doubt that the topic of Trademarks can be fascinating. If you still have unanswered questions about Trademarks, you may find what you’re looking for in the next article.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his Perpetual20 training site for great bonuses: Perpetual20

5 Tested Suggestions On How You Can Prevent Conflicts Over Online Trademarks

Saturday, November 19th, 2011

When you think about Trademarks, what do you think of first? Which aspects of Trademarks are important, which are essential, and which ones can you take or leave? You be the judge.

The battle over trademarks doesn’t just happen in the supermarket or in the airwaves. Business owners and entrepreneurs can also fight over names and logos on the internet. When someone establishes and sets up a website, this person puts his foot inside the ring and puts his chosen logo and brand name to a test. And once the chosen brand name or website has a twin on the internet then that’s the start of trademark conflicts online.

This is something any webmaster and business owner should avoid since online conflicts over logos and brand names online can be costly and can pull the two businesses. For this reason, a person trying to venture into online business should do prior research first before deciding on a certain brand name or trademark. Here are five tested suggestions that can allow an entrepreneur avoid unnecessary conflicts online.

? Before setting up the website, make sure that the chosen site name or domain name has been verified if this is unique. General terms are most likely to have a duplicate, so general terms should be verified. Specific names like names of celebrities and famous people should be avoided as well.

? A Similarity Search should be made prior to the setting of the website. Through this, the entrepreneur will know if there is a conflict with another name online. A simple similarity in name and logo could lead to legal troubles. And we all know that this is costly especially on the part of the new player.

If you find yourself confused by what you’ve read to this point, don’t despair. Everything should be crystal clear by the time you finish.

? To ensure that go original over a trademark for a product or service, make sure that you check out any national databases. Some governments including the European Community maintains a database of trademarks registered within their territory.

? If you have decided on a brand name or trademark and you think that you are alone in thinking that this is yours, it is best that you register the trademark under your name. This way you can gain legal protection for your trademark. Logos, graphics and even brand names can be protected by registration. In the United States, you need to file and register the brand name or trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. This office has a website where you can electronically file your application. And the site can be used to follow-up on the status of the application.

? Once the trademark or brand name has been associated to you or your business, it is a must that you monitor the trademark. It is a must that you check if you rights are being abused or trampled upon. And when that happens, you need to act quickly in order to do what is legal.

With the mushrooming of online businesses and websites, there is a big chance that your idea for a name or slogan has already been used. For this reason, proper research should be conducted first in order to verify the uniqueness of your chosen trademark. This is a necessary move in order to avoid a costly battle online.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his Perpetual20 training site for great bonuses: Perpetual20

Do You Need A Trademark Attorney?

Friday, November 18th, 2011

For some, trademark registration appears to be a straightforward process. In fact, there are numerous online forums that can be accessed and companies that discuss about the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) requirements and basic facts. So, if you are a businessman and you want legal protection under the trademark law, you must be wondering if you truly need a trademark attorney to file the registration on your behalf.

Basically, a licensed trademark attorney doesn’t come as one legal requirement when applying for trademark protection. But then again, you must look into considering hiring a licensed trademark attorney since your every step needs a thorough thinking and very important decision to make. Of course, filling out the application form may appear easy at first but filling it out correctly may become your burden. When you commit some errors in the application form, that means diminishing your trademark rights.

Who is a trademark lawyer and what can he do for you? Read on to find out.

Registering a trademark takes more than the completion of the application form, so to speak. It calls for an extensive knowledge and awareness of what the trademark law and the procedure cover. Hence, it is best to have a trademark lawyer work for you. In general, the trademark lawyer can always advice you on several aspects regarding your trademark filing and a couple of trademark services.

The trademark attorney must be consulted when selecting the trademark slogan or the product name trademark. The lawyer must then assist you in securing the trademark search report and counsel you on the outcome of the results whether it is safe or not to proceed with the said proposed mark. The lawyer is basically your legal counsel should you have questions on how to get the mark, the cost of the registration, and the process on how to trademark the logo or slogan.

Now that we’ve covered those aspects of Trademarks, let’s turn to some of the other factors that need to be considered.

More so, the attorney will help you draft your application. He must put careful thought on the product description because it will largely affect the procedures on how you will be able to register the trademark.

Also, the attorney will assist you in ensuring that you have completed the trademark application. He must review the drawing page as well as the entire specimen to be sure that they all satisfy the USPTO requirements. The specimen will generally differ depending if your mark is a product name trademark, trademark slogan, or trademark logo.

The lawyer must also coordinate with the USPTO to be able to answer for the objections that the office may have against your trademark application.

Additionally, a qualified lawyer will advise you on how you must handle particular circumstances such as that of receiving a cease and desist letter. It is written whenever a party actually believes that their own trademark is being violated.

So, that only points out how essential it is to hire a trademark attorney. This qualified individual will be the one to educate and guide you all throughout your application?from learning about the trademark cost, online trademark search, trademark searching, and providing answers on the common trademark FAQs.

If you’ve picked some pointers about Trademarks that you can put into action, then by all means, do so. You won’t really be able to gain any benefits from your new knowledge if you don’t use it.

About the Author
By Kee Tong Pa, can help you find the perfect crib for your needs. Visit Nursery Convertible Cribs now. Convertible cribs can help parents who don?t want to buy their children a new bed every couple of years. Since the beds cost about $200 a piece, parents can save hundreds of dollars over the course of their child?s lifetime.

Trademark ? Tips For Registering Trademark In The United States

Friday, November 18th, 2011

Trademark is that fancy little symbol, tag line or phrase, word or device that you attach to your business or any of its products. It is that thing that identifies your company or any of its products and separates it from the rest.

It is, to say the least, a critical component of any business. After all, it is that little piece of information that makes your company, your products, or your services distinct. It is protected by the law and is therefore subject to registration. Below are some tips that could be helpful in the registration process of your own trademark in the United States.

Search for the mark.
Begin with researching the trademark’s availability. There are literally millions of registered trademarks out there. To ensure that you will not get in trouble for using a particular symbol, word, brand name, packaging, or phrase, it is advisable to first ensure that no other company or individual has the rights for the mark you are seeking to use.

A good place to start is the USPTO or the United States Patent and Trademark office’s website. This is a free tool that can make searching for the availability of the ‘mark’ you are after.

Hopefully the information presented so far has been applicable. You might also want to consider the following:

Please take note that in the process of using the USPTO website, you will have to follow the various TESS or Trademark Electronic Search System’s links in order to secure the availability of the mark. This search system has a database for abandoned marks, registered marks and marks whose applications are in progress. Note, however, that not only trademarks in use in the United States are registered here. Only those that have been registered with the federal registration are listed here. So further researching is still needed. Nevertheless, USPTO’s website trims down the possibility of you running into trouble with the mark you are planning to use for your company.

Understand that similar names can be used by different companies.
Not because a name is already in use does it mean that you can no longer use it for your own product, company or service. You are mistaken if you think so.

Names that are used as trademarks by other companies can still be used by several other different companies so long as these companies do not compete in the same industry. No wonder, a name can be used for an upscale car, an alcoholic beverage and a pesticide.

At the first sign of danger, run.
If the name you are considering seems to have been used and is used by many other different companies in many other different fields, it is advisable to just consider using another name. This is because registering a trademark that is quite popular in other businesses is a potential source of conflict and legal battles. This can also potentially limit the number of investors that would be willing to dole out their money on your business. Experienced investors typically don?t fancy companies that can potentially meet trademark litigations in the future.

Knowing enough about Trademarks to make solid, informed choices cuts down on the fear factor. If you apply what you’ve just learned about Trademarks, you should have nothing to worry about.

About the Author
About the Author By Janet Matthews, feel free to visit her site on how to manage Student Loan Debt

All About The Trademark Symbol

Friday, November 11th, 2011

When you build your company, you definitely need to attend to the creation of a logo or symbol. After all, it will help identify your company among others. It will provide an identity for your business. That is why, it is imperative that you register your trademark symbol or logo that will represent your company.

The good news is that it takes very few considerations when doing this. To be able to assist you well, it is best to hire a qualified trademark attorney. This person is in the position to guide you right from the very first step and all throughout your efforts of completing your registration.

First of all, the registration of a company logo or trademark symbol requires a careful design search. The lawyer is again the perfect individual to trust in these circumstances.

The role of the trademark attorney is to review the design search which will make sure that the logo is indeed authentic. Be careful to choose the design logo that will not in any way infringe upon the other existing and already registered logos. Through all of these, only the lawyer can advice you on whether or not it is safe to proceed with the company name trademark registration.

By the way, you must not leave out the fact that all licenses must be codified in writing. Don’t worry though because for sure, the lawyer that you hire can help you get through with all of these. As is always the case, all of the terms and conditions of the license and registration procedure must be embodied in writing. It applies to the copyrighted works, logo, company name, and even for the intellectual property.

Sometimes the most important aspects of a subject are not immediately obvious. Keep reading to get the complete picture.

This is very applicable especially when other associations, affiliated entities, chapters, and other endorsed merchants attempt to use your logo. When you register a logo for your business, you also apply for the exclusivity of the permission to use it.

You can also opt to limit the license for certain uses. There are usually copyright problems that come out when other parties claim that they got all the necessary permissions to utilize the intellectual property including that of your logo. You should know that there is a separate kind of permission and fee to acquire the use of your logo license.

Because other pieces of information that are included in your membership directory, membership list, and mailing labels are not commonly covered by copyright protection, it is necessary that you come up with a certain bond that limits the use of your own logo by other parties.

The Internet is basically the resource that you can turn to. Start your search now for a trademark symbol or logo to register. But again, take note that it matters that you become aware of other existing and registered symbols or logo under the names of other companies. Or else, you may be tagged as a trademark infringer.

Again, the trademark symbol is an integral part of your company. After all, it is your company’s image in its efforts of conquering the market.

Knowing enough about Trademarks to make solid, informed choices cuts down on the fear factor. If you apply what you’ve just learned about Trademarks, you should have nothing to worry about.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO

How To Protect Your Trademark

Thursday, November 10th, 2011

Under the rightful trademark law, all logos, names, and different marketing devices are provided legal protection. Trademark protection is henceforth considered easier if it falls under the “strong” category. If it is considered “weak”, it will be a bit tedious to be able to qualify for the so called trademark protection.

Strong and Weak Trademarks Identified

There are two possible ways on how the trademark may be deemed as strong. They could have been born strong or they can become strong through time.

When we say that a trademark has been born strong, it means that it was precisely unique by the time it was created. It only originated from the mind and nothing else apart from that. Meaning to say, nothing else is named close to it. And should there be someone who even tries to infringe on the said trademark is likely to be noticed.

When the trademark is said to be “can become strong”, it means that it isn’t that unique when it was born yet has become very popular and very much known over time. To be able to achieve this, there are plenty of endorsements, advertising, marketing, time, and above all, customer satisfaction.

Hence, the popularity of a mark in the world of commerce makes it highly qualified for a trademark protection. And again, any efforts to infringe on the mark will be easily noticed.

Hopefully the information presented so far has been applicable. You might also want to consider the following:

How to Achieve a Strong Trademark

This is possible through extreme efforts in marketing and dedication, so to speak. Keep in mind that companies are not born overnight. More so, their popularity can’t be achieved in such a short span of time. You must ensure that you include your trademark in all things that you do. Among of which include websites, business card, letterheads, email, marketing, advertising, and signs.

The more that you put your name for the world to know, the more individuals will be able to recognize you. Also, you must make sure that your company has a reliable customer service. Your goal is to keep the customers coming back and wanting them to recommend your company to others.

On the other hand, the weak trademarks don’t get to qualify for trademark protection. It is based on a popular term, a location, or on a name of a person. Because they tend to be general, proving that there is any sort of infringement method is almost impossible. When people use all these on a daily basis, they fail to get trademark protection.

An exception is when the company expands and is able to prove a tremendous change in sales growth or any other form of public awareness for that matter. In such case, trademark protection can be awarded.

Avoid the Hassle from the Start

The best way to be certain that you will not go through the hassles and everything is to become unique right from the start. You can conduct your own research or even talk with a trademark attorney. You must likewise have your trademark registered to ensure that you can qualify to get protected under the trademark law.

About the Author
About the Author By Janet Matthews, feel free to visit her site on how to manage Student Loan Debt

5 Tested Suggestions On How You Can Prevent Conflicts Over Online Trademarks

Wednesday, November 9th, 2011

Are you looking for some inside information on Trademarks? Here’s an up-to-date report from Trademarks experts who should know.

The battle over trademarks doesn’t just happen in the supermarket or in the airwaves. Business owners and entrepreneurs can also fight over names and logos on the internet. When someone establishes and sets up a website, this person puts his foot inside the ring and puts his chosen logo and brand name to a test. And once the chosen brand name or website has a twin on the internet then that’s the start of trademark conflicts online.

This is something any webmaster and business owner should avoid since online conflicts over logos and brand names online can be costly and can pull the two businesses. For this reason, a person trying to venture into online business should do prior research first before deciding on a certain brand name or trademark. Here are five tested suggestions that can allow an entrepreneur avoid unnecessary conflicts online.

? Before setting up the website, make sure that the chosen site name or domain name has been verified if this is unique. General terms are most likely to have a duplicate, so general terms should be verified. Specific names like names of celebrities and famous people should be avoided as well.

? A Similarity Search should be made prior to the setting of the website. Through this, the entrepreneur will know if there is a conflict with another name online. A simple similarity in name and logo could lead to legal troubles. And we all know that this is costly especially on the part of the new player.

How can you put a limit on learning more? The next section may contain that one little bit of wisdom that changes everything.

? To ensure that go original over a trademark for a product or service, make sure that you check out any national databases. Some governments including the European Community maintains a database of trademarks registered within their territory.

? If you have decided on a brand name or trademark and you think that you are alone in thinking that this is yours, it is best that you register the trademark under your name. This way you can gain legal protection for your trademark. Logos, graphics and even brand names can be protected by registration. In the United States, you need to file and register the brand name or trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. This office has a website where you can electronically file your application. And the site can be used to follow-up on the status of the application.

? Once the trademark or brand name has been associated to you or your business, it is a must that you monitor the trademark. It is a must that you check if you rights are being abused or trampled upon. And when that happens, you need to act quickly in order to do what is legal.

With the mushrooming of online businesses and websites, there is a big chance that your idea for a name or slogan has already been used. For this reason, proper research should be conducted first in order to verify the uniqueness of your chosen trademark. This is a necessary move in order to avoid a costly battle online.

There’s a lot to understand about Trademarks. We were able to provide you with some of the facts above, but there is still plenty more to write about in subsequent articles.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his soon to be top ranked Perpetual20 training site: Perpetual 20

How To Protect Your Trademark

Friday, November 4th, 2011

Would you like to find out what those-in-the-know have to say about Trademarks? The information in the article below comes straight from well-informed experts with special knowledge about Trademarks.

Under the rightful trademark law, all logos, names, and different marketing devices are provided legal protection. Trademark protection is henceforth considered easier if it falls under the “strong” category. If it is considered “weak”, it will be a bit tedious to be able to qualify for the so called trademark protection.

Strong and Weak Trademarks Identified

There are two possible ways on how the trademark may be deemed as strong. They could have been born strong or they can become strong through time.

When we say that a trademark has been born strong, it means that it was precisely unique by the time it was created. It only originated from the mind and nothing else apart from that. Meaning to say, nothing else is named close to it. And should there be someone who even tries to infringe on the said trademark is likely to be noticed.

When the trademark is said to be “can become strong”, it means that it isn’t that unique when it was born yet has become very popular and very much known over time. To be able to achieve this, there are plenty of endorsements, advertising, marketing, time, and above all, customer satisfaction.

Hence, the popularity of a mark in the world of commerce makes it highly qualified for a trademark protection. And again, any efforts to infringe on the mark will be easily noticed.

Is everything making sense so far? If not, I’m sure that with just a little more reading, all the facts will fall into place.

How to Achieve a Strong Trademark

This is possible through extreme efforts in marketing and dedication, so to speak. Keep in mind that companies are not born overnight. More so, their popularity can’t be achieved in such a short span of time. You must ensure that you include your trademark in all things that you do. Among of which include websites, business card, letterheads, email, marketing, advertising, and signs.

The more that you put your name for the world to know, the more individuals will be able to recognize you. Also, you must make sure that your company has a reliable customer service. Your goal is to keep the customers coming back and wanting them to recommend your company to others.

On the other hand, the weak trademarks don’t get to qualify for trademark protection. It is based on a popular term, a location, or on a name of a person. Because they tend to be general, proving that there is any sort of infringement method is almost impossible. When people use all these on a daily basis, they fail to get trademark protection.

An exception is when the company expands and is able to prove a tremendous change in sales growth or any other form of public awareness for that matter. In such case, trademark protection can be awarded.

Avoid the Hassle from the Start

The best way to be certain that you will not go through the hassles and everything is to become unique right from the start. You can conduct your own research or even talk with a trademark attorney. You must likewise have your trademark registered to ensure that you can qualify to get protected under the trademark law.

There’s a lot to understand about Trademarks. We were able to provide you with some of the facts above, but there is still plenty more to write about in subsequent articles.

About the Author
About the Author By Janet Matthews, feel free to visit her site on how to manage Student Loan Debt

The Relevance Of A Trademark

Sunday, October 16th, 2011

What is the relevance of a trademark?

The Basics Discussed

Generally, a trademark refers to a word, a phrase, a symbol, or a logo that serves to identify or distinguish the main source of the goods or services as provided by a person or a company from other forms of business.

The list that comprises the trademark is actually long. But to make it simple, the trademark can likewise be granted to every unique packaging like a product item or a building design, sound, color, and fragrance as well. The service marks, on the other hand, are also entitled to the same amount of legal protection. However, they must be distinguished as such and should not be placed under the same category with the products.

The business can hence be granted a trade or service mark through its consistent use. When you don’t register your mark regardless of the length of time you have been using it, then another company surfaces and utilizes the same, you are left unprotected. You can’t prove your ownership though.

Online Registration

Think about what you’ve read so far. Does it reinforce what you already know about Trademarks? Or was there something completely new? What about the remaining paragraphs?

The good side of trademark registration is that you don’t necessarily need to visit its physical office. You can simply log in to the website of the United States Patent and Trademark Office or USPTO. You will be charged with a registration fee for every logo, name, or slogan. By means of federal registration, it is ensured that another party is going to be hindered from using your mark. A registered trademark then grants you the exclusivity of the rights in the usage of a mark concerning your services or goods.

Nevertheless, the USPTO is only capable of registering the trademarks for the marks that are being utilized within its state lines. There are some requirements that are essential to be able to qualify for the application.

When you see the ® symbol, that means a mark is duly registered and at the same time approved by the USPTO. Meanwhile as the application is running for completion, the SM or TM symbol can be used first to express your intention of establishing the mark into a trademark. However, it will become your obligation to keep your records of the first time when the mark was used for commerce.

Trademark Attorney vs. Trademark Research Firm

If you are confused as to which one to employ in your application, you must know first how they differ. The trademark research firm will do the trademark name search for you. This will help validate the legality of the mark that you prefer to establish and register. Hiring its services will also be less costly. However, you need to be careful to ensure that the firm is abreast of both of the federal and state trademark records along with the common law listings.

On the other hand, hiring a trademark attorney will be better if you believe you need legal counsel every step of the way. A good attorney knows everything and that means you are in good hands.

So, let this be your guide in understanding the relevance of a trademark and its registration.

Sometimes it’s tough to sort out all the details related to this subject, but I’m positive you’ll have no trouble making sense of the information presented above.

About the Author
For all the latest articles and information on Investing In Silver please visit Silver News Today





Search