Trademarks law
Trademark protection is a major strategic issue for any company wishing to secure its commercial identity. Registering a trademark allows a company to secure its identity, protect its reputation and distinguish itself from the competition in the long term. A trademark protects a sign used to identify and differentiate a company's products or services in a given market. It can take various forms: verbal, figurative, complex, three-dimensional, sound, position, colour, movement, etc.
To be protected, a trademark must be:
- Distinctive: the trademark must not be descriptive or generic in relation to the designated products or services;
- Available: it must not infringe on prior rights (prior trademarks, company names, trade names, domain names, etc.);
- Lawful: it must not be contrary to public order or morality.
A duly registered trademark confers on its owner the exclusive right to use it for the designated products and services. In France and the European Union, the term of protection for a trademark is 10 years, renewable indefinitely, subject to its actual use and the payment of renewal fees.
Why register a trademark?
Registering a trademark has many advantages. It allows you to obtain a monopoly on the use of a sign and to block any unauthorised use by competitors for similar products or services.
Registering a trademark is also an effective way to enhance the value of a company's intangible assets. A registered trademark becomes an industrial property right that can be exploited, transferred, licensed or integrated into partnerships. As such, the trademark can serve as a legal basis for transfer, licensing or franchising operations.
The existence of a trademark right also offers protection in several sensitive situations. It allows action to be taken in cases of imitation or counterfeiting, to respond to fraudulent or bad faith registrations, and to resolve conflicts related to the coexistence of distinctive signs.
When should a trademark be registered?
A trademark can be registered at any time during a company's life. Registration can take place as soon as the business is created, for example to protect a name or logo even before registration of the company. In this case, the registration is made in the name of the founder, with a mention that the company is in the process of being formed. Once the company’s registration is complete, the certificate simply needs to be sent to the French IP office (INPI) to regularise ownership.
Registration can also take place later, when the company grows, changes its logo or launches new product ranges. At each stage, trademark registration remains a means of consolidating your commercial strategy.
How do you register a trademark?
- n France, registration is done online with the INPI. Initial protection is for 10 years, renewable indefinitely.
- In the European Union, registration is done online with the EUIPO. A European Union trademark covers all Member States.
- Internationally, registration can be done through the Madrid System, which allows several countries to be designated in a single application.
What to do if your trademark is infringed?
When a trademark is infringed, its owner has powerful means of action at their disposal. The owner has an exclusive right of use: they can prohibit any reproduction or imitation of their trademark if there is a risk of confusion.
Several courses of action are possible. A formal notice can be sent to the infringer. An opposition can be filed against a new trademark. Legal action may be taken for infringement, invalidity or revocation. In some cases, it is also possible to negotiate a coexistence agreement or to use customs to block the importation of counterfeit products.
The role of the lawyer in trademarks law
Advisory & Strategy
We assist you in defining your brand protection strategy in France and worldwide, conducting prior searches and drafting the wording for the designated goods and services. We file trademark applications with the relevant offices (INPI, EUIPO, WIPO) and monitor the registration process.
We monitor your sector and competing trademarks, manage your trademark portfolio and advise you on how to secure your use of distinctive signs in marketing, digital and commercial media.
Contracts & Valuation
We structure and secure the ownership and use of your trademarks (transfer of rights, licensing, white labelling) by formalising the conditions of use (class, duration, territory) and supporting their economic development (transfer, franchising, industrial partnerships, licensing).
Defence & Litigation
We assist you in all pre-litigation proceedings in order to find an amicable resolution.
We draft formal notices or claims. We handle infringement proceedings and assist you in trademark oppositions, trademark invalidity actions and trademark revocation actions.
We negotiate and draft coexistence agreements between rights holders and assist you in customs proceedings.