Your law firm for trademark law
Trademarks are essential for companies and organizations. They ensure the desired recognition value and shape the public image among consumers and customers.
From registering to defending your own trademark, trademark law can pose many challenges for businesses. As a law firm with years of experience in the field of trademark law, Keller Schneider takes a holistic approach to protecting your trademark portfolio and supports you from the analysis and strategy development of your trademark portfolio through to enforcement and defense and – if necessary – litigation.
What we can do for you
We cover all areas of trademark law. Our services include
- Assessment of the selection of trademarks: What can be protected and also defended?
- All administrative matters relating to your global trademark portfolio
- Licensing of intellectual property: Work with other companies and allow third parties to use your brand profitably.
- Enforcement of trademark rights
- Legal prosecution of infringements of your trademark
- Defense against attacks by third parties
- Representation in court proceedings
How can we help you build or protect your trademark(s)? Contact us directly here.
How does working with our law firm in the area of trademark law look like?
We place great emphasis on customized personal advice. That is why each mandate is considered individually. We offer our clients comprehensive support, from the analysis of the trademark portfolio and strategic advice to the registration and ongoing protection of trademarks.
By working with us, you can be sure that your trademarks are optimally protected and that you are reliably represented in the event of disputes. We are always at your disposal with our expertise and experience.
FAQ-Sektion
How does a trademark differ from a patent?
A trademark is a property right for a sign that a company or person uses to distinguish goods or services from those of other companies or persons. A trademark can be, for example, a word, a picture, a slogan or a combination of these. The trademark is therefore the “distinguishing mark” of the respective product or service, which enables the consumer to “recognize” it and associate it with a specific company.
A patent, on the other hand, is an industrial property right for technical inventions that grants the owner the exclusive right to use, sell or license their invention.
How long does it take to register a trademark and how long is it protected afterwards?
The duration of the trademark application depends on various factors, for example the respective trademark register and the country in which the trademark is applied for. As a rule, the application process takes a few months to a year. The trademark is then protected for a certain period of time and can be used exclusively by you. In most countries, trademark protection is valid for a period of ten years and can be renewed every ten years thereafter (as long as the owner is interested).
What requirements must a trademark meet in order to be registered?
In order to register a trademark, it must meet certain requirements. For example, it must not be directly descriptive of the intended goods or services. In addition, it must not be misleading or offend common decency.
How can Keller Schneider help me with my trademarks?
We provide you with comprehensive support in registering and protecting your trademarks – in the European Union, Germany and Switzerland as well as in all other countries worldwide. Thanks to the close cooperation between our offices in Bern, Zurich and Munich / Memmingen, we can offer you particularly favorable conditions for truly Europe-wide protection of your trademark. Thanks to the numerous contacts we have developed and maintained over many years with colleagues in other countries, we are able to also manage a global portfolio.
First, we check your trademarks for suitability and availability and ensure that they meet all the necessary requirements. Once you have decided on a trademark, we register it for you and manage the registration procedures in the relevant countries. In consultation with you, we can carry out trademark monitoring in the relevant registers. This monitoring makes it possible to become aware of potentially infringing signs at an early stage and to combat them with opposition proceedings.
What can be registered as a trademark?
All graphically representable signs can be protected as a trademark, in particular words, images, letter and number (combinations), sound symbols (music jingles), three-dimensional designs, e.g. the shape of a product, packaging, colors, color combinations. Distinctiveness for the claimed services is a prerequisite – we will be happy to advise you on this in your specific case.
Does a trademark have to be used?
A trademark initially enjoys a so-called “grace period for use”, which in the EU, Switzerland, Germany and many other countries is five years – usually from registration of the trademark. If the trademark is not used for a period of five years, it can be attacked by third parties for non-use. It is therefore important to actually use a trademark and to document this in order to be able to maintain trademark protection in the event of an “attack”.
Contact
Do you have specific questions about registering or protecting your trademark?
Give us a call or send us an e-mail and we will get back to you as soon as possible!