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Trade Marks

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CONTENTS

How we can help with your trade marks
How we work with you
Meet the team

Services

Your trade mark is a crucial part of your brand protection strategy. Registering your trade mark may seem like a simple process, but it is understanding the nuances of the classification system and carrying out comprehensive freedom to operate searches that really make your brand protection strategy sophisticated and will mean you avoid problems in the future.

How we can help with your trade marks

Conducting trade mark clearance and freedom to operate searches
Drafting and filing trade marks in the UK, EU and internationally
The UK designation of the EU registrations post Brexit
Enforcing your trade mark rights
Monitoring new applications for similar trademarks to you through our trade mark watching services
Portfolio management
Help in cases of trade mark infringement – either as claimant or defendant

How we work with you

Whilst based in the South of England, Paris Smith acts for businesses and families throughout the UK. Technology has enabled us to provide a high level of service to our clients whether they are local to our offices or not. Our advice can be given in many ways:

Over the telephone
Via video conferencing
In face to face meetings

We will talk through how you would like to be contacted and the best ways for us to meet in our early conversations with you.

Meet the team

You can find contact details for the Patents team below.

Introducing your key contact

Laura Trapnell
Partner – Head of Commercial and Intellectual Property

Contact

Meet the Trade Marks team

KEY CONTACTS

Trade Mark frequently asked questions

Why should I register?

Registering your trade mark makes it much easier to take action against anyone who uses it without permission and could also allow Trading Standards Officers or Police to bring criminal charges against counterfeiters if they use your trade mark on counterfeit goods. Registering means that your trade mark is your property, so you can sell it, franchise it or let others have a license to use it.

What should I register?

You should register the key brand names that are important to you and your business. This is usually the company name, the company logo and often the names of key product lines.

Where should I register?

Trade mark registrations are territorial, so it is important that you obtain protection in the key territories in which you trade.

How long does it take?

If your trade mark is distinctive and does not conflict with an existing registration, then the process can take about 4 months. If there are objections from the Registry or a third party files an opposition then the process can take much longer and in some cases, the application might not get granted.