In order to distinguish your marks and secure powerful legal recourse in case of infringement, it is critical to obtain a proper registration of your trademarks with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Obtaining approval of a trademark registration depends on submitting a detailed and accurate application that illustrates the distinctive features of your mark and clearly distinguishes it from other registered trademarks. A mark that is more distinctive is more likely to be approved for registration, and also less likely to be infringed. A trademark that stands alone from other marks will ultimately separate your organization from the competition.
Carter DeLuca has expertise in identifying, comparing and contrasting the marks across multiple industries that are necessary for securing a trademark registration and distinguishing your brand. Our trademark attorneys know that registration is a labor-intensive process that requires working collaboratively with the patent office to overcome technical hurdles and achieve successful outcomes for our clients. By understanding your organization’s objectives, we will help you create a distinctive brand identity and obtain the maximum protection for your trademarks.
Concerns regarding counterfeiting and piracy have become increasingly acute as markets have globalized and many goods sold in the United States are imported. Counterfeit goods with unauthorized use of trademarks are usually sold at below market prices which erodes profits and damages the mark owners’ brand in the marketplace.
Trademarks can also be diluted by unauthorized introduction of goods that are produced by the mark owner for a particular international market, but are materially different from those intended for the United States. These goods are commonly referred to as “grey market” articles or parallel imports. In addition to protecting your trademark by registering with foreign bodies, another powerful defensive tactic is to register your trademarks with the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Carter DeLuca has expertise not only securing national and international protection of trademark rights, but also recording registered trademarks with the CBP. The process of recording a mark with customs, whether to protect against counterfeit or parallel goods, must be handled with care and precision. Our trademark attorneys can help you protect your brand identity from counterfeit goods that flow into domestic commerce, safeguard your profits, and preserve your reputation.
The competitive challenges of doing business in the world economy demand that you obtain the maximum protection of your marks wherever you manufacture or sell your products. Even if your organization does not currently conduct business abroad, you should consider the possibility that in the future it may. It’s critical that you secure the rights to your marks as soon as possible, since otherwise you may forfeit the opportunity to claim them in the future.
Carter DeLuca will collaborate with your business and marketing teams to understand your global vision. Together we can develop a targeted strategy for safeguarding your brand across key markets to facilitate your expansion. By combining the resources of our trademark attorneys with a network of IP attorneys around the world, we can help you secure meaningful protection of your trademark rights and maintain your edge over multinational competitors.
