Effective legal help can companies protect intellectual property from theft and other abuse. IP attorneys at The Woodall Law Firm PLLC work with business clients to identify their company’s most value IP assets and legally protect them. Failure to properly secure intellectual property can result in massive losses. Security IP protections can take time and understanding of government processes. The most basic protection of IP comes via trademarks and copyrights.
Trademarks for Your Company
Trademarks and copyrights are the most basic protection for intangible assets like technology, brands, or ideas. The difference between a trademark and copyright can be confusing. Trademarks refer to registration of logos, names or other identifying marks. Copyrights protect things like original creative works and intellectual property.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) offers guidance of how trademarks and copyrights can be used to protect intellectual property and ultimately your company. One basic example of how trademarks and copyrights work is the invention of a new vacuum cleaner. A trademark would protect the vacuum company’s brand name from being used by competing products or businesses. The copyright would cover any marketing material, logo, or other creative work used to promote or brand the vacuum. Finally, a patent would protect the vacuum’s unique design and assembly process.
When to use trademarks for your company?
The sooner you file for a company trademark the better. Early filing of a trademark can prevent early competitors from copying or stealing your technology or marketing strategy. In order to file and register for a trademark, there are a few requirements:
- The trademark must be a unique identifier that is tied to your organization or brand.
- It cannot closely mimic another company’s registered trademark. This is required so that brands and products are not easily confused. This often happens if two companies have similar looking logos or names that sound almost the same.
- No trademark can be issued for generic terms. For example, no one can trademark “air plane” that would prevent anyone else from using it in company material.
A lot of entrepreneurs fail to properly protect their company because they are focused on business development. That’s understandable, but we recommend seeking legal help to handle trademark and copyright work to protect IP. Simply incorporating and having a company name is not enough. Future legal costs can be avoided by taking early steps to secure trademarks and copyrights. Your company will be free to work without fear of litigation claims from other parties looking to capitalize by claiming your logo or idea was theirs first.
Learn more about trademarks for your company
The Woodall Law Firm PLLC has a team of business attorneys ready to help business owners with trademarks and copyrights. Working with our team will help protect the intellectual property, ideas, and intangible assets that make your company unique. In the event of any infringement, our team will pursue litigation vigorously to protect your intellectual property. To further discuss how The Woodall Law Firm PLLC can help your business grow and protect intellectual property in The Woodlands, TX, contact us today.
