A trade mark is a sign (such as a word, a logo or a combination of both) that is capable of distinguishing your goods or services from those of your competitors.

Trade marks can be protected in most countries of the world. In Europe, you can protect a trade mark in specific countries of interest or in every country of the European Community through the Community Trade Mark (CTM) system.

If a trade mark has already been used without being registered it can enjoy some protection in the UK under common law.

However it is generally much more expensive to take action against third parties and the outcome less certain. We therefore recommend registering your trade mark(s) if you have not already done so.

We can advise whether or not you are likely to be able to register a given trade mark and can conduct a clearance search to check whether you are free to use the mark.

Once granted, trade marks can typically be maintained indefinitely provided certain criteria are met.