New Jersey Trademark Attorneys

What Intellectual Property Can Be Trademarked?

Business owners have a variety of resources that can help them protect nearly any type of proprietary intellectual property, including patents, copyrights, and trademarks.

What is a Trademark?

A trademark will generally apply for any word, phrase, design, symbol, or combination thereof which helps distinguish the source of the goods. If your business provides services rather than goods, a service mark will act in the same manner as a trademark. An experienced NJ trademark lawyer at our Bergen County law firm can help you navigate which protection you need for your product and business.

Skilled Bergen County Business IP Attorneys

If you own a business, chances are you have a number of names, symbols, or slogans that you wish to protect. This could include brand names, logos, advertising slogans, and many other types of wording or identifiers. In the United States, you can effectively protect this intellectual property by registering a trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office.

If you wish to take a proactive step and register your company’s trademarks, our Bergen County business law attorneys can help. When you retain M. Ross & Associates, LLC, we will work tirelessly to ensure that your intellectual property has the maximum protection possible. If you believe that another person or company may be using your trademarked property, our experienced business litigators can help you pursue legal action and stop any unauthorized trademark use.

Common examples of trademarked material include:

• Brand names (Tylenol, Kleenex®)
• Logos (NBC peacock logo)
• Slogans (Nike’s “Just Do It” slogan)
• Colors (Tiffany’s signature blue box)
• Shape or design (Coca Cola’s unique bottle)

Your brand name and logo help set your business apart.

Why Should I Register My Trademark?

You do not need to register or file any paperwork to claim a trademark or to use the common TM or SM signals next to your trademarked material. However, the protection this offers is very limited. To gain maximum protection over your property, it’s best to register your trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. This will give you a number of benefits, including:

• You will be legally presumed to own the trademark and associated rights
• You will be able to file a federal lawsuit if your trademark is infringed upon
• You can use your U.S. registration to register the mark in other countries
• You can file your registration with U.S. Customs to prevent importing of infringing goods

Essentially, registering your trademark gives you a much greater ability to prevent unauthorized use and to take legal action if unauthorized use occurs. With the help of a Bergen County business lawyer, this is a very easy process that can yield massive benefits.

Protect your brand’s identity. Call our firm today at (201) 897-4942 to schedule a comprehensive case evaluation with our NJ trademark lawyers.