Trademark Rights

Trademarks and trade names are an important part of the brand. How detrimental is it for your marketing if others use similar trademarks?

The owner of a registered trademark has the right to prevent others from using similar marks. In this way, others are not able to take advantage of the mark’s reputation and the investments made in marketing. The owner of a registered trademark is also better protected from the infringement claims of others than the owner of an unregistered trademark.

For instance the following matters are discussed during the basic course on trademark rights:

• Why register a trademark?
• Preliminary searches before filing an application – obstacles to the freedom to use trademarks and register them
• Applying for a trademark in Finland
• Content of trademark application
• Processing of trademark applications
• What to do if the registration of the trademark is not granted?
• Opposition process and appeal process
• Utilization of priority
• Registration of trademarks abroad
• National trademark applications
• Community trademark applications
• International trademark registrations (Madrid Protocol)
• Special practices of some countries (e.g. USA).
• Use of ® and TM symbols
• Litigation
• Annulment of trademark registrations
• Infringement proceedings
• Anti-counterfeiting actions

After the course, the participants master the basics of the trademark system.