By: Trademark Attorney Melissa D. Goolsarran Ramnauth
Why do I need a trademark?
There are several steps that a business owner should take when they start a business: (1) conduct trademark clearance searches and file trademark applications, (2) form a business entity, and (3) put all business dealings into written contracts.
These steps are very important to protecting your business, and the trademark aspect is arguably the most important part.
What is a trademark?
A trademark is “a word, phrase, symbol, or design, or a combination thereof that identifies and distinguishes the source of goods of one party from those of others.” In simpler words, a trademark is a brand identifier. A trademark is what makes your business unique from another business. Customers will be able to identify your business by its trademarks.
How do I get a trademark?
As soon as you start using a particular trademark (name, phrase, logo, etc.) in public for business, you receive automatic common law protections. However, these common law protections are limited. That is why successful businesses choose to apply for federal trademark registration with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Before you submit your trademark application to the USPTO, you should have an attorney conduct a trademark clearance search. It is important to make sure that the mark that you are trying to register is not already owned/used by someone else. Otherwise, the other user could sue you for trademark infringement. You could be prevented from using the mark, have to spend money to redesign your business, and even pay legal damages to the other owner. Thus, the trademark clearance search is due diligence that can save time and money.
It is important to note that a mere Google search is not enough. Just because you did not find the exact match on Google, does not mean that your application won’t be denied for having a mark that is too similar to another.
Searching the USPTO database is almost not adequate. The USPTO only reveals marks with the exact same search terms that you enter. Therefore, you may not see marks that are too similar to your mark. The USPTO denies trademark applications if the marks are too similar to other registered marks.
An experienced attorney is able to uncover both exact marks and similar marks that could result in your trademark application being denied and infringement lawsuits.
You should only file your trademark application then after a trademark clearance search. You will need an attorney to file the application if you are not currently living in the United States. However, there are benefits of having an attorney represent you even if you are currently living in the U.S. Lawyers can avoid certain mistakes and pitfalls on the trademark application. It may seem like a simple application but it is complex. Mistakes could cost you your application approval, time delays, and more money to fix the application than if you had an attorney complete it in the first place.
Are trademarks important?
A registered trademark has three major benefits. First, a registered trademark can prevent and preclude others from copying your trademark. You are going to spend money, time, and resources promoting your marks and your business. Someone else should not be able to ride on the coattails of your hard work. Protect your investments.
Second, a registered trademark can save a business owner money on legal fees in the future. A registered trademark establishes certain presumptions in a lawsuit that would otherwise have to be established by a party to the lawsuit. The more work it takes to establish a presumption means the more money you have to pay an attorney to establish that presumption for you. A trademark helps to skip that step and therefore helps to avoid extra money you would have to pay your lawyer at a trial. Moreover, the due diligence search helps reduce the risk of being sued for infringing on another brand.
The third major benefit to having a trademark is that a proprietor and their business can more efficiently expand their brand. The USPTO will not grant registration if a mark is too similar to another mark. That means that you might not be able to expand your business into a new category if you do not register the name/design and someone else does. For example, if you do not register your marketing company's name and someone else registers the same name for an SEO platform, you could be prevented from using that name for your future SEO platform.
Conclusion
A trademark protects intellectual property, saves proprietors on legal fees, and allows businesses to expand into other markets with more efficiency. If you need advice on how to properly obtain a trademark, please contact MDGR LAW.
Melissa D. Goolsarran Ramnauth, Esq.
MDGR LAW
Trial-Winning Trademark & Business Law Firm
melissa@mdgrlaw.com
(754) 800-4481