Trademark & Advertising

Selecting, acquiring, maintaining and protecting trademarks, service marks and trade names are critical to the success of many businesses, and we help our clients make informed decisions in all phases of their branding and marketing strategy, including:

• Evaluating and selecting a mark or a family of marks
• Searching for potential problems with a desired mark and counseling on whether to seek registration
• Preparing, filing and prosecuting U.S. trademark applications and coordinating international trademark registration
• Guidance on the proper use, maintenance and protection of a mark
• Planning and execution of appropriate responses to infringers.

See Overview of U.S. Trademark Process and Service List.

Hundreds of trademark owners trust us with the stewardship of their brands because they know that when trademark or advertising concerns arise that threaten their business — from trademark infringement or dilution to false comparative advertising — we provide responsive, practical and intelligent problem-solving. Our trademark practice is global, addressing state, federal and foreign considerations. Some recent examples of our work include:

• Implementing a fast track approach to protect a client's trademark of a product that was quickly gaining worldwide recognition — in a matter of days, the valuable trademark was on file in nearly 50 new countries
• Developing an agreement for use by a provider of medical tourism services when contracting with foreign hospitals for services and a commission
• Creating a streamlined and cost-effective approach for clearing potential trademarks being considered by a major manufacturer and brander of audio and video production platforms
• Successfully appealing use of a client's mark before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board
• Advising a magazine on potential dilution of its famous mark by a wine company
• Advising a book packager on potential infringement of a mark by a TV producer.

To discuss your particular trademark and advertising needs, please contact Thomas Dunn.