In addition to business owners ensuring they are running their business California compliant, employers should also remember to protect the other parts of their business, such as their logos or slogans. Business logos or slogans are protected through “trademark” law.
What is a trademark? A trademark is any word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination of these things that identities your goods or services. Your company name or logo would likely be considered a trademark.
Sometimes competing business will take a trademark from another and unfairly benefit from the reputation of the trademark they have taken. They will use a closely related name or logo to draw in customers from their competitor. Litigating over these trademark issues can be quite costly.
Working with an attorney to determine whether you need a trademark and to ensure you get trademark protection can save you energy, time, and money in the long run. If you operate your business wholly in the state of California, California’s own trademark registry may provide some unique benefits to your local business. However, there is also federal trademark registry and any future plans to expand your business could be affected by whether you have a federal trademark registered as well.
If you need a consultation on the benefits of trademark registration or are in need of assistance because you believe someone is infringing on your trademark, please contact the Intellectual Property attorney at Chauvel & Glatt.
The material in this article, provided by Chauvel & Glatt, is designed to provide informative and current information as of the date of the post. It should not be considered, nor is it intended to constitute, legal advice or promise similar outcomes. For information on your particular circumstances, please contact Chauvel & Glatt at 650-573-9500.
