Trademarks are legal protection that allow the owner to warn others against unauthorized use or theft of ideas. What do the trademark symbols represent? There are three different symbols. The trademark symbols (TM and SM) are both referred to as trademarks, but there...
There are different trademark classifications
Intellectual property matters are rarely straightforward. So, it should be no surprise that the United States Patent and Trade Office (USPTO) has 45 different classifications for trademark registration. Thirty-four of them involve goods, and 11 involve services....
When do you need to use a multi-class trademark application?
A multi-class trademark application is used when a trademark falls into more than one category. This type of application lets the applicant file electronic paperwork once and pay only one filing fee, rather than multiple times, to get a mark for their goods and...
How long does a trademark last?
Just about everyone has noticed those trademark symbols when reading the packaging of some product. A trademark is used for a name, word, service, logo or emblem, widget, or a combination of these. They can be used for inventions or upgrades to existing products. They...
Trademark infringement: reaching agreement on team name use
There has been a reckoning in recent decades over the misuse of American Indian names and iconography. Many considered the usage as racist. Most high school and college teams have made changes. While the Washington Football Team is still working on its new name, the...
How to obtain a trademark
You've finally made the decision to take your New York business to the next level by obtaining a trademark. Obtaining a trademark can seem confusing at first, but knowing the right steps can make it very simple. Here's what this process entails. Selecting a mark...
Five reasons why trademarks make business sense
As we reemerge from the locked-down, pandemic world, some of the energy that was pent up will be released in the form of dollars. Economists widely predict a coming boom, fueled by consumers free to once again go shopping. Connecting with consumers Whether those...
Trademark scams: Don’t let seeing become believing
You have submitted your trademark application to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), careful to fill in every space for required information and to dot every “i” and cross every “T.” Because the USPTO says it can take a year or more to find out if...
Protecting IP from competitors and former employees
One of the most valuable assets a company can have is its intellectual property. Just as jewelry stores lock up their diamonds and gold, companies must secure and protect IP from competitors and ex-employees. You can’t lock your IP in a safe, of course. It must often...
A unique trademark is still important, even after the booking.com case
One of the most obvious and important principles of intellectual property law is that you need a unique trademark to obtain legal protection of the mark and to avoid infringement liability. However, in a recent Supreme Court case we discussed on our blog late last...
