WHAT IS A TRADEMARK?
A trademark is a word, phrase, slogan, symbol or design, or combination of such which identifies the source of the goods or services of one party from those of all other parties.
Normally, a mark for goods appears on the products or on its packaging material while a service mark often appears in advertising. Over time, a trademark tends to establish customer goodwill for one's products or services.
Trademark rights are usually acquired by use in commerce. Generally, the prior user of a mark owns the mark in the geographic region in which the mark is in use.
- Your mark will be listed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office's online data base.
- Public notice of your claim of ownership of the mark is given.
- You have the right to use the federal registration symbol of a circled "R" ®.
- You have a legal presumption of owning your marks and the exclusive right to use it nationwide in connection with the sales of goods or services listed in the registration.
- You have the ability to record your registration of the mark with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Service to prevent the importation of any infringing goods.
- A registered mark can substantially increase the vale of the trademark and business which owns it.
- You gain the ability to bring an action concerning the mark in federal court.
New Trademark Application Form
- Copyright Registration
- Trade Secret Protection
- Licensing Agreements
