By definition, a trademark is a word, symbol or indicator that is legally registered. Intellectual property, in general, is a creation of the mind and includes such things as inventions, literary works, names, images, symbols, designs, and artistic works used in commerce. As the name suggests, we use registered trade marks. Trademarks make you or your business unique from others, and this uniqueness sets you and your business apart from others in the industry. Differentiation gives your company a competitive advantage in the increasingly competitive business environment. For this reason, a company must protect its intellectual property at all costs. The protection of intellectual property begins with the registration of the property. Trademark attorneys are here to help with issues related to trademarks and intellectual property in general.
A trademark attorney is a legally qualified person who deals with trademark law matters. He offers legal advice on matters related to design and trademark protection. Essentially, a trademark lawyer is a lawyer who has studied and specialized in trademark matters. Although different countries have different classifications in the body of legal services, trademark attorney is a separately recognized profession, classified along with lawyers and solicitors. In some places like the United States, the profession is not clearly defined. The classification of trademark lawyers places them as general law professionals in these countries. A trademark attorney may operate alone, but in many cases several attorneys join to form a firm. A trademark law firm deals with all matters related to intellectual property and specifically trademarks.
As a company, your trademarks are your business and you must be willing to sacrifice funds to protect this intellectual property. In case of trademark infringement, the company can go to court with the help of a trademark attorney. When a company has a strong interest in trademarks, it would be more economical and prudent to hire a trademark lawyer to work for them at all times. This prevents delays in the event of a situation where the company’s trademark rights have been infringed. Hiring a full-time trademark lawyer may seem expensive, but it is not, considering the value intellectual property has to the company. The lawyer also helps advise the company on which intellectual property to protect and which not to protect, since not everything can be protected.
Brand protection is not just for corporations. Intellectual property protection is for any person, corporation or individual, who has intellectual property that they wish to protect by law. If you have that special formula that makes your small business unique from the rest and you don’t want competitors to copy it, protect it with the help of a trademark owner. Remember, losing your trade secrets to your competitors is the same as losing business to them. You no longer enjoy the differentiation that used to give you a competitive advantage. No matter how simple a piece of art is, protect it to avoid a situation where competitors could copy it and use it to put you out of business.