Trademark infringement small business

Fast Online Process - File in Only Minutes! A trademark can be any distinctive sign or indicator used by a business (or other legal entity) to identify its products, and to distinguish them from those of competitors. When a trademark is used in relation to services rather than products, it is sometimes called a service mark.

Trademark infringement is essentially the unauthorized use of a mark that’s connected with a business that provides a good or service. The unauthorized use of the mark creates confusion among potential customers.

Trademarks are a valuable tool for businesses to use to distinguish their products and services in the marketplace. To avoid trademark infringement, small business owners and entrepreneurs should use a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) to protect trade secrets. Small Business Trademark Mistakes that Cost You Money. And I’m not talking about a small amount of money. I’m talking about a massive amount of money.

Let’s put it this way, the $5or $0you save today by going the do-it-yourself or cheap route to search and register your business and brand names could cost you tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions of dollars in the future. The value of a trademark , depending on the company , can be worth millions of dollars.

Law firms are hurting, he said. Keeping your trademark safe from infringement requires a consistent offense and a sturdy defense. Experts explain how to master both. Let the Professionals File Your Trademark Today!

Small business law: dealing with trademark infringement On behalf of Cross Law Firm, S. What is Trademark Infringement ? The basic test for trademark infringement is whether someone else is using a trademark that creates a likelihood of confusion amongst consumers in the relevant marketplace. They became national news when Disney filed a lawsuit against them for trademark infringement , seeking damages worth $million. They allegedly committed infringement after they advertised the availability of two costumes for parties on their business website. You also might need to transfer a trademarked business name, defend your trademark against infringement , or conduct other actions.

Here are a few things some business owners might find important about trademarks and small business law. As protected intellectual property, trademarks help businesses protect their individual brands. Trademarks not only protect businesses, but they also protect consumers from confusion or deception.

As such, trademark infringement often involves businesses operating in similar industries. And specifically, to protect your business in social media and beyon you should understand the importance of registering for federal trademark protection for your business name.

Attorney Doug Wolf offers up advice on what entrepreneurs need to know about trademark infringement. On the other han class covers clothing and class includes retail clothing stores, which could produce a related good or service. Thus, when considering the relatedness of goods and services, compare the actual goods and services rather than the class numbers in a registration. A business attorney can assist in the complete process of reporting trademark infringement. There are additional avenues of reporting that involve E-commerce and social media sites.

Trademark holders can notify E-commerce sites and social media sites that their trademark is being infringed. Company Name Trademark Infringement. For many, company name trademark infringement is a major business risk and deserves far more attention than many business owners give to it.

With a little bit of work early on, you can save yourself a lot of problems down the line. A beginner’s guide to trademark infringement Theme: Protecting your ideas The infringement of a trade mark – also written and acknowledged as trademark or trade-mark – relates to the unauthorised use of a registered trade mark by any third party on any goods or services identical with the goods or services specified on the register. Though trademarks provide protections, simply owning a trademark doesn’t mean anything with the slightest similarity to the trademark ’s designs and words constitutes infringement. That’s because infringement , at its very basic core, is a civil claim in which the plaintiff has the burden of proof.

The major insurance provider is hardly the first big company to aggressively protect its trademark. And that makes sense, to some degree.