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How to use trademarks to protect intellectual property

In the world of business, there are a number of legal issues to consider for protecting a company. Innovations can translate to great success for a company that is able to properly monetize them. That holds true as long as some other entity doesn’t attempt to use the intellectual property of a company for its own profit. Fortunately, there are many ways for Georgia businesses to protect intellectual property, including trademarks.

A trademark is generally a brand name or a design that corresponds with a specific company. This means it could be a phrase, symbol, name or more that represents a company, and it often helps to identify that company from other brands. Though registering a trademark isn’t required, there are benefits to doing so, such as giving a company exclusive rights to the name or design being trademarked. Filing for a trademark with U.S. Customs Service may also help companies stop foreign exports to America of a product that copies its design.

Businesses that want to file a trademark may want to check with the online database called the Trademark Electronic Search System to be sure it isn’t already in use. If not, the owner of the trademark is the only one who can file for federal registration. Application forms are available online and once a trademark is registered, a company can use the federal registration symbol to indicate its trademark.

Although a company can file for its own trademarks, it may be a good idea to use an attorney who understands trademark law as it pertains to intellectual property. An attorney here in Georgia can help companies ensure that their designs and branding belong exclusively to them and that no other business can misuse them. It could be one of the best business decisions a company makes.