Trade marks around the world: USA

When looking to build your brand, it is always important to ensure that your trade mark protection grows. It is essential to ensure that your mark is continually protected as you expand into different industries or geographical locations.

A key place where businesses are looking to protect their mark is the USA. However, their system does differ to that in the UK so it is important that you are clear about what you need to do.

It is first important to highlight that like in the UK, trade marks are protected through registration in the US. The protection does not rise automatically as it does with other forms of IP such as copyright.

Also, mirroring the UK, it is the person who first uses a mark in commerce who has the right to protection, not the first to file as is in other countries.

Registration should be made through the US Patent and Trade mark Office.

The registration process is complicated and involves more steps than to register a trade mark in the UK.

In order to ensure the process is as stress free as possible for you, The Trademarkroom has its own in-house US trade mark attorney who has substantial experience and take guide you through the process step by step.

If you wish to gain more information on how to approach the US trade mark system please contact our US attorney Waheedan Jariwalla via email at waheendan@trademarkroom.com or visit the US tab of our website.

By Ellis Sweetenham