Trademarks are used to identify a person’s or company’s products or services and may take many forms, including logos, shapes, company names or even smells. They are used by a huge range of companies, from multinational corporations to small local businesses.
Trade mark attorneys are specialist legal professionals qualified to advise clients about protecting and enforcing their trade mark rights. By providing legal support on the registration, use and exploitation of new and existing trademarks, you will ensure that companies successfully protect the identity and integrity of their brands. You may also advise clients about other intellectual property issues, such as copyright, registered designs and licensing. Trademarks are used to identify a person’s or company’s products or services and may take many forms, including logos, shapes, company names or even smells. They are used by a huge range of companies, from multinational corporations to small local businesses.
What skills are required to become a Trademark Attorney?
• Manage, protect and enforce portfolios of intellectual property rights, including trademark, copyright and design.
• Advice on legal aspect of marketing new goods and service and their introduction in market place as well as developing brand enlargement.
• Research new trademarks and advice on availability by carrying out national and international searches to see if proposed trademark is already in use.
• Oversee all procedural aspects of trademark and design registration in UK and Internationally.
• Negotiate in trademark disputes and take action on trademark infringements and passing off.
• Draw up appropriate contractual papers.
• Provide backup to the solicitors and barrister conducting a case if it comes to litigation
• Monitor existing and proposed trademark.
• Advice clients about countries in which it seek to register and the most cost effective way of achieving it.
• Develop working relationships with relevant brand managers and customers of departments. Handle renewable of trademark and design registration.
What to expect out of Trademark Attorney?
They have lot of contact with the colleagues, clients, trademark registry officials and with European and international authorities both in person and emails. The work involves meeting deadlines which can sometimes be challenging if notice is short. The attorney’s working in the corporate sector are based at one office or location but may need to travel periodically to other location.
They need to have:
• excellent written and oral communication skills to work with your clients and their advisers, e.g. solicitors or barristers;
• the ability to work as part of a team;
• attention to detail;
• commercial and cultural awareness;
• self-motivation (as training examinations are very demanding and balancing work, life and study can be challenging);
• excellent time management skills to keep to strict deadlines;
• An interest in branding and marketing issues.
