The first step toward registering your mark is to conduct a search to see if there are any existing marks which may conflict with your proposed name or logo. Our experienced trade mark professionals will assist you with every step of the Trade Mark Registration process.

In general it takes from nine months to two years to register a trade mark. The final registration date is backdated to the date of application. Costs vary, but on average are approximately £1000 per mark in each class. This reduces for additional classes filed as multi-class applications and increases where there is objection or opposition.

Trade mark applications are now dealt with on a 'first filed' basis and there is no longer any procedure which allows the proprietor of a later filed application for a trade mark to claim prior right of ownership of the mark. It is therefore prudent for an owner of a mark to file as soon as possible. We recommend that applications are filed at the conception stage of a product or service, allowing time to be registered before a product launch. If a mark is not registered and has no use, it is not possible to bring a 'passing off' action.

On registration, the details of the trade mark and its owner are entered on the trade marks register. Third parties can search the register in order to check whether particular marks are available for use. A registration thus alerts third parties to the existence and ownership of trade mark rights. There is no formal record of unregistered marks, making their existence and ownership uncertain.

It is estimated that in the region of 30% of research and development conducted in Europe is wasted on products which already exist. Early filing deters competitors from pirating the Mark.

 Click here to carry out a trade mark search

If you have a general enquiry about trade marks, you can also contact our trademark specialists on 01763 247 030 or Email us.

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