Trademarks

Conducting a thorough search

The reason for conducting a thorough trademark search is to increase the level of confidence of that you will not face the legal and financial consequences of an expensive trademark infringement lawsuit. 

Greigg & Greigg PLLC help their clients minimize their risks and liabilities associated with trademark infringement.  We can conduct comprehensive and meticulous searches to analyze our client’s proposed trademarks and determine their similarity to any previously registered or used trademark that is owned by another business or individual. 

Sometimes, the “owners” of a particular trademark may not have legal ownership, but, rather, they have a form of common-law ownership that still entitles them to the trademark rights.  Our attorneys can help you decide whether to proceed to use, register or license your trademark in an effort to avoid any potential legal complications now and in the future.

Preparing a detailed application

Even though trademarks and patents are two distinct facets of intellectual property law, trademark applications are similar to patent applications—their success is often determined by a strict adherence to the standard legal protocol. 

There are rules, regulations, and laws that govern the application process and the legality of the trademark itself. Words and symbols for which protection is sought can be of several types:

• Generic words
• Descriptive marks
• Suggestive marks
• Arbitrary or fanciful marks

A generic word can have no legal protection as a mark, but a descriptive mark is subject to a review and possible approval if it is found to be distinctive as to the applicant’s goods or services.  Understanding these rules and general legal obligations is essential in being granted a successful trademark for your business or product.

Trademarks, like patents, are granted on a first-come first-serve basis.  Greigg & Greigg PLLC help their clients avoid the pitfalls of faulty trademark applications because they fully understand the process.  This is a huge benefit that translates into saved time and money, which is especially important in today’s competitive business world.