Trademarks are denominators that enable the distinction of goods or services of one company from the goods and services of other companies. Apart from the most common trademarks such as word marks, figurative marks or a combination of word and figurative marks, color marks, sound marks or positional marks could also be acknowledged as trademarks. A trademark is typically awarded protection once it is registered. An application can be made in Germany, Europe or in fact outside Europe. A trademark would initially be protected for 10 years, but such protection may be renewed again and again for another 10 years, i.e. trademark protection is not subject to time restrictions. A trademark can become very valuable; as such it can be sold, licensed, pledged or deposited as security.
AND WHAT CAN WE DO FOR YOU?
We can effect the application for your trademark in Germany, Europe and in countries outside Europe. In the event that a competitor attempts to prevent you from using a particular product description or a particular commercial name, then we will represent you during the opposition proceedings. We will carry out a search prior to any application to ascertain if your trademark might contravene existing rights so that the risk of subsequent expensive and time-consuming legal disputes is reduced.
We also take on the drafting, negotiation and conclusion of trademark license and delimitation agreements on your behalf.
In addition, we defend your trademark – whether registered or non-registered – both in court (e.g. through preliminary injunctions, injunctive relief, demands for information, damages and cancellation) and out of court (e.g. through warning letters and delimitation agreements) against any infringements on the part of competitors or third parties. We can also perform regular national and international collision monitoring for you, in order to protect your trademark in the best possible way from any new identical or similar trademarks used by your competitors.
