Dominic is the CEO of Lawpath, dedicating his days to making legal easier, faster and more accessible to businesses. Dominic is a recognised thought-leader in Australian legal disruption, and was recognised as a winner of the Australian Legal Innovation Index and recently a winner of the LexisNexis 40 Under 40 (APAC).
Do you believe that your distinctive business logo or symbol is secured from competitors? Do you currently violate existing rights? Here are the four key things that you must know about trademarks and protecting your business.
1. Why Do I Need A Trademark?
A trademark is any word, name, symbol, design, phrase or logo that you use to distinguish your product or service from other businesses.
2. Why Do I Need A Trademark?
A trademark legally safeguards your unique business name or logo from other people. It authorizes you with a right to use the name or logo in connection with your business.
- Guarantees a cause of action against any person/business using a similar name or logo.
- Shields you against an involuntary breach of an existing recognized trademark holder.
- Trademarks generate revenue for your business by allowing you to license the use of your name or symbol to others, vital when deciding to franchise.
- It creates value as an intangible asset and operates as ‘goodwill’ when you are selling your business.
3. What Are Some Examples Of Trademarks?
- McDonald’s famous ‘golden arches’
- The Nike ‘tick’
- The ‘walking fingers’ of Yellow Pages
4. What are the Next Steps?
The first thing to do is to ensure your proposed name does not conflict with any existing trademarks in Australia. Conducting a trademark search is simple on LawPath’s online trademark solution – you can run unlimited searches for free and get instant clarity on your pending trademark application.
Are you looking to register a Trademark? LawPath’s online trademark registration is cost-effective and takes just minutes to complete.
“Unsure where to start? Contact a LawPath consultant on 1800LAWPATH to learn more about customising legal documents, obtaining a fixed-fee quote from our network of 600+ expert lawyers or to get answers to your legal questions.”
