What Are Trademarks and How to Protect
Them?
Trademarks are, in general, what businesses
use to identify themselves. A trademark
can be a word, a phrase, a logo or a more elaborate graphic design associated
with the business, and can be protected under law. They are not to be confused with patents,
which refer to items, forms of technology or processes, or copyrights, which
are intellectual properties owned by an author.
There are many Calgary law firms that can protect one’s trademarks as
they do patents and copyrights.
We often hear the words trademark dilution
– this refers to when a mark is used by one or more companies in such a way
that makes the original mark less unique, resulting in consumer confusion. Dilution protection would afford the business
owner a chance to prove that he or she owns the mark and was the first to use
it, though this can sometimes be complicated if the mark is not
well-known. One would have to
sufficiently furnish evidence that he or she owns the mark and that other companies
had infringed on it in order to successfully protect oneself from dilution.
If a Calgary resident needs advice on any
facet of intellectual property law, it is recommended that he or she request
consultation from any one of the several Calgary law firms that deal with IP
law. This blog is not to be considered
official legal advice and the writer waives all responsibility for any improper
trademark filing or legal complication caused by such. One must only trust a certified Calgary lawyer specializing in IP law for any official legal advice.
