What does a trademark protect?

If you have been hearing people talk about the importance of “trademark protection” for your business or nonprofit, but you don’t seem to understand what that means, don’t worry. Our trademark attorney is here to help you understand with another great article called “What does a trademark protect”.

What does a trademark protect?

If you own a business or nonprofit, or if you are planning to start one at some point, it is very important that you know what a trademark protects. A trademark legally protects the owner of a mark (name, logo, or phrase) by ensuring that the trademark owner has the exclusive legal right to use the mark to identify their goods or services. The law also gives a trademark owner the legal right to give someone else permission to use their trademark in exchange for payment.

How long can you expect your trademark protection to last?

The period of time that a trademark provides legal protection varies. However, if the registered trademark expires, a trademark owner can continue to renew the registration simply by filing the renewal application and paying the required filing fees. Trademark protection is enforced by the courts of the jurisdiction in which it was obtained. This means that the law protects the trademark owner and allows for the recovery of legal damages in cases of trademark infringement.

What is the purpose of trademarks?

Overall, the fact that governments allow trademarks to be registered encourages individuals to innovate and protect their brands via registration. This legal protection allows trademark owners to safeguard the goodwill that they have built and established within their brands and allows them to benefit from profits generated from both use and licensing of the marks. Trademark protection also serves to deter the unscrupulous actions of unfair competitors, such as counterfeiters, that desire to exploit trademark owners by using similar distinguishing signs to market inferior or different products or services. The system rewards individuals that are creative, enterprising and innovative by allowing them to produce and market goods and services in the fairest possible conditions which encourages economic growth as well as trade.

Give us a Call

If you have any questions about protecting your business or brand, give us a call and we are more than happy to offer a free consultation to discuss your brand and how we can help you protect it legally.