I want to protect my name / my logo. What are the steps that I need to take?

Have you created a company name, brand name or product and/or service name to help you to stand out in the market and build a commercial reputation? Will a well-designed logo or visual identity be linked to your company so that you can be set apart from your competitors? Are you keen to protect this valuable long-term investment?

Trademark protection is one of the most effective ways of helping you to differentiate yourself from your competitors. It can cover a whole range of signs, such as verbal elements, logos, 3D elements, patterns and colours, as well as motion, sound, and/or multimedia elements, provided that they are distinctive.

Using trademark protection for your name and logo will give you peace of mind and security, and will prevent competitors or counterfeiters from copying your protected sign or using it illegally.

A trademark is a valuable intangible asset that helps you build customer loyalty. Investing in brand protection is therefore a sure way of increasing the value of your company, your products and your services.

In order to obtain trademark protection, you must file an application and register your name, logo and/or any other sign that can be registered as a trademark. Different strategies can be used (Benelux trademark, European Union trademark, international registration, etc.) depending on your geographical location and your chosen field of activity.

Our team will advise and assist you from the very start of the process, through all relevant stages and procedures, including assessing the distinctiveness of your brand, conducting preliminary availability searches, handling refusals, oppositions or cancellations (IP Prosecution).

If you wish to take action against a subsequent trademark application, the opposition procedure is a relatively inexpensive way of solving a trademark dispute without having to go to court. However, such action is only possible during a specific period (opposition period), after which the initiation of annulment proceedings may be considered. Our team will advise you on the chances of success of such action and will defend your rights before the relevant trademark offices.

Once your trademark has been registered, it will be protected for a certain period of time (10 years in most countries) and can be renewed indefinitely. Don’t worry about the deadlines. Our team will look after all the relevant deadlines for you and will help you keep your intellectual property portfolio data up to date.

Once your trademark has been registered, the best way to protect it is to keep an eye on new trademarks that are being filed and published that could be identical or give rise to confusion.

This will enable you to detect any subsequent filings that could be problematic and take timely action to maintain the uniqueness of your trademark and protect its value. This may involve administrative procedures such as oppositions, as well as the negotiation of amicable settlements with third parties (coexistence agreements).

If your trademark has been copied or reproduced without your permission, don’t panic! Our experts will help you to determine the most effective way to take action against the counterfeiter and put an end to the infringement.