The Value of a Registered Trademark Filed by an Experienced Trademark Law Firm

Introduction

The Trademark Laws of the United States, codified at Title 15 of the United States Code, at Section 1051 forward, provide for protection of both registered and unregistered trademarks.  An experienced trademark law firm can handle all aspects of trademark registration. While a federal trademark registration is not legally required in order to do business under a particular mark, a federal trademark registration provides the trademark owner with a wide range of powerful tools to protect its branding, including the following:

Powerful Tools Provided by Federal Trademark Registration with the Assistance of a Trademark Law Firm__

1. 1. A federal trademark application serves as public notice of your usage or intent to use the mark. (See 15 U.S.C. § 1051)  Although a potential competitor may find your usage via other means, a federal registration virtually guarantees that your usage and rights will be known to anyone intending to use the same or a similar mark. A reliable trademark law firm can file this application for you.
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   2. A federal trademark registration serves to prevent registration of the same or similar marks by others. (See 15 U.S.C. § 1052)  As a general matter, unregistered common law usages will not prevent registration of the same mark by later users.
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   3. A federal trademark registration serves as prima facie evidence of the validity of the registered mark and of the registration of the mark.  (See 15 U.S.C. § 1057(b)).  Without a registration, the validity and enforceability of a mark will be undetermined and may become the focus of extended and expensive litigation.
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   4. A federal trademark registration serves as prima facie evidence of the ownership of the mark. (See 15 U.S.C. § 1057(b)).  In the absence of registration, ownership of a mark is not assumed.  It can only be resolved by a court in the course of litigation between the parties.
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   5. A federal trademark registration serves as prima facie evidence or the owner’s exclusive right to use the registered mark in connection with the goods or services identified in the registration certificate. (See 15 U.S.C. § 1057(b)).  While the holder of an unregistered mark may ultimately succeed in convincing a court that it has the exclusive right to use a particular mark, there will be no presumption of such right.
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   6. A federal trademark registration provides nationwide right of priority back to the filing date of the application.  (See 15 U.S.C. § 1057(c))  Without this right of priority, other parties may begin operating under the same mark in other markets even long after you have begun using the mark.
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   7. A federal trademark registration provides the legal right to use the (R) symbol, which serves as a formal warning and formal legal notice that your mark is federally-registered. (See 15 U.S.C. § 1111)  The presence of the (R) designation next to a mark can be a powerful deterrent to potential competitors.
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   8. A federal trademark registration provides a specific basis to bring a lawsuit in federal district court to enforce your rights.  (See 15 U.S.C. § 1121)  Without a registration, you may or may not have grounds to proceed in federal court, depending on the facts.
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   9. A federal trademark trademark registration can provide the basis for a court injunction to end infringing activity (See 15 U.S.C. § 1116)  An injunction is an order from a court legally preventing a competitor from engaging in any further activity infringing your trademark rights.
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   10. A federal trademark registration provides the potential opportunity to recover an infringer’s profits, in certain cases.  (See 15 U.S.C. § 1117(a))
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   11. A federal trademark registration provides the potential opportunity to recover the trademark owner’s actual damages, in certain cases. (See 15 U.S.C. § 1117(a)).
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   12. A federal trademark registration provides the potential opportunity to recover the costs of enforcement, in appropriate cases. (See 15 U.S.C. § 1117(a)).
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   13. A federal trademark registration provides the potential opportunity to recover your attorneys’ fees, in certain cases.  (See 15 U.S.C. § 1117(a))
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   14. A federal trademark registration provides the potential opportunity to recover enhanced damages of up to triple the actual damages, in certain cases.  (See 15 U.S.C. §§ 1117(a) and 1117(b))
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   15. A federal trademark registration provides the potential opportunity to recover statutory damages for infringement.  (See 15 U.S.C. § 1117(d))  Statutory damages are not available for unregistered marks.
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   16. A federal trademark registration may serve as a basis to block the importation of counterfeit goods.  (See 15 U.S.C. § 1124)

Value of Federal Trademark Registration and Trademark Law Firm Conclusion

Given the many advantages available from the registration of a mark, and the relatively low cost to register a mark, you owe it to yourself to investigate registration of your valuable marks, whether they be names, logos, slogans or other designations. For more information on federal trademark laws, visit the USPTO’s website. An experienced trademark law firm can answer any questions you have about all aspects of trademark laws.

Please contact your Dallas trademark law firm today to learn more about how we can help you secure and protect your valuable branding with a federal trademark registration. The Emanuelson Firm can handle all of your trademark questions and needs.