Trade marks

The Trade Mark service covers the entire trade mark life cycle from pre-registration advice through registration, monitoring, exploitation, oppositions and renewals and where necessary litigation. 

It includes the following contentious and non-contentious services:

• Brand development and pre-registration advice – advising on the development of new brands and the registrability of trade marks. This includes UK, European Union and worldwide pre-registration clearance searches to ensure that conflicting prior rights do not exist.
• Trade mark registrations – filing applications and obtaining registrations for trade marks in the UK, European Union and elsewhere.
• Monitoring – watching services to make sure that trade mark applications are kept under strict review in the UK, Europe and worldwide.
• Portfolio management – maintaining full records of registrations, recording assignments and licences as well as notification of renewal dates and dealing with renewals.
• Trade mark audits – establishing and confirming registered trade mark ownership as well as reviewing and advising on unregistered rights.
• Trade mark oppositions – countering third party trade mark applications conflicting with earlier marks through agreement or submission of formal opposition. Revocation and invalidity actions are also advised on and undertaken.
• Exploitation – maximization of revenue from portfolios and implementation of strategies frequently using complex trade mark licensing arrangements or sale by way of assignments.
• Contentious services – taking action where client’s rights need to be enforced or defended against unjustified third party actions.

For further information on trade marks click here to read our trade mark FAQs.